Can I Take Your Order?
by Angel Eevee
Summary: [T/P Complete] Not quite sure what was happening with Trunks, Pan breaks it off with him to escape the feelings she had while with him. But Trunks won't let her go that easily, and Pan in a new relationship is making him more determined to get her back.
1. Of Coffee Shops and Late Night Romance

Okies, first of all, I'd like to thank ALL of you who reviewed my last fic! I got SUCH sweet comments! Thank you all so much! I'd also like to give a special thanks to Christina, cause it was her fics that first got me hooked on Trunks/Pan stories to begin with. Go read her stories! Thank you everyone!

  
  
  
  


Chapter One: Of Coffee Shops and Late Night Romance

  
  


"**Marron**... we're going to get caught." He whispered quickly, while she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him over to her. She sat on the furniture ledge, her legs slightly apart, so that she could pull him closer to her, then wrap her legs around his waist to make it easier to kiss him. She gently fingered the cotton material of his shirt and made a small laugh behind her huge smile. 

"Caught? By who? We're closed. Besides, you are the owner of this company, are you not?" Marron asked, biting the lip of her grin. 

"Hmm, ya, that's me. Mr. Bigshot." He replied, softly kissing her neck. "I wouldn't really call it a company though." He pointed out with a small smile. Marron shot back with a raised eyebrow. 

"Well, okay. A business." She said with a smile, reaching to her left and picking up a half-filled wine bottle. She checked the label and showed it to him. "Don't want it to go to waste, do you?" She asked, taking her eyes off of him to look for some glasses in reach. 

"No." He replied, taking the bottle from her and holding it behind her back. "I don't want it to go to waste, but _you_ my dear, are not going to touch it." He said with an apologetic smile, and lightly gestured towards her swollen stomach. "Don't want the little tyke to become an alcoholic, now do you?" 

"One glass of wine won't make it an alcoholic, but you're right. No wine until the baby's born." Marron nodded in agreement. He smiled back at her. 

"You're the best Mare..." He whispered, before returning to kissing her. 

"You too sweetie." Marron leaned forwards and rested on his chest, sighing in contentment. Her legs dangled down over the spot where she would be standing tomorrow and all the days to come as the cashier. Behind her lover was a wall with a window in it that opened to the kitchen where he would be cooking up the usual storm for their customers. Behind her were a dozen tables, nicely lit in cozy colours, brilliantly setting a mood of romance yet also one of order. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." He pointed out, resting his head on hers, and gently rubbing her back with one hand while the other held the wine bottle. 

"Don't tease." 

"Well, since I love you so much, I'll grace you with the honour of another question." He said with amusement to her. 

"You're too kind dear." Marron said sarcastically, but with light humor. "I just... did you think you were going to end up like this? I mean with this life?" He tilted his head, as if in thought before he answered her.

"Well, if you're asking if I thought I'd marry you, become a cook for a restaurant I own personally and a soon-to-be father... no." He paused, before continuing. "I never knew I could cook... must have got it from mom... I guess I could see me as a father, but personally, I thought you were gonna hitch it up with Trunks." 

"What? Me... and Trunks? Goten!" Marron lightly slapped him on the shoulder. "You're such a tease." She leaned back into his embrace. "Trunks isn't right for me. Never was." Goten smiled at his wife, and the two leaned in for a quiet kiss. However, before their two lips could meet, they were interrupted by the loud clang of the door chimes as someone stepped into their restaurant. 

"Well... speak of the devil." Goten said under his breath. Marron turned to see the new comer and smiled brightly at their friend.

"Hey Trunks!" She called, with a wave. "Woa, what's with you?" She asked, after getting a good look at him. His hair was messily fallen over his eyes and looked pretty limp. His clothes were slightly wrinkled and he looked tired. Tired and old. 

Trunks glanced up from his spot just in the doorway of his close friends' café. One hand still remained rested on the door knob, still debating whether to stay since they looked to be having some serious husband/wife time together or to just leave while his friends were ahead in the game. They looked to be in a good mood, each wrapped up in the other's embrace; Marron sitting cosily on the counter top, and Goten with a bottle of wine in his hand. Wine. Alcohol. Kami could he use some of that. Quickly making up his mind, he quickly walked the distance to where they sat and snatched the bottle from his hand, popped the top off, and downed half of what was left down his throat. 

"Thanks." He said in a tired voice, and hopped up onto the counter, his legs dangling on the opposite side of Marron's. Goten and his wife looked at him in pity and sympathy. 

"Uh, rough day?" Goten asked with a small grin. 

"Rough life." Trunks muttered back. He looked down at his hands and squinted his eyes at the fingers laced around the wine. As quickly as he walked in, he looked up, his look of concentration gone, and turned to them with a grin. "So, how's life been treating you guys?" 

"Good, thanks." Marron said, absently rubbing her stomach. 

"Speaking of that, how long before it's due?" Trunks asked. Goten shrugged. 

"Still a couple of weeks... I guess." Marron said quietly as if she were thinking about it. "It'll be born, late spring or early summer." Trunks nodded, and glanced outside at the rainy spring weather they were having lately. The rain was always depressing to him. And right now, he was depressed enough without the rain's extra boost. The three sat in an awkward silence for a bit, before Marron hopped off the counter. "You two will have to excuse me. This lil sucker is draining my energy... I think I'll hit the sack." Marron told referring to her unborn child. "Great to see you again, Trunks. Come back soon, kay?" Trunks nodded with a smile, and gave Marron a quick kiss on the cheek. Marron walked into the back, and then disappeared. 

When Goten and Marron first thought of the idea for a café, they had both found in most logical to have their apartment near by, and the lot which they bought happened to have one upstairs. So they lived upstairs and worked down, which had its advantages for Marron since she couldn't work as long anymore with her baby almost due. 

Goten turned to Trunks and waited for him to talk. He had a pretty good idea why he had showed up in the first place. Marron had heard it all from Pan, which she passed on to Goten, and if he knew Trunks, it was only a matter of time before he broke and needed to talk it out with someone. He would usually deck it out with Pan, but Trunks always went to Goten with his lady problems, and besides, this time Pan _was_ the problem. Goten was sort of surprised that this was the first time seeing Trunks however. He had held out long. After all the incident happened over three weeks ago. 

"Goten, have you ever been happy? I mean... really happy?" Trunks asked quietly once the silence got to awkward for him to bare. 

"Yeah. Ever since I was with Marron." Goten replied, not really wanting to bring the female species into this conversation, but seeing no other alternative. Trunks had to get over his problem sometime. 

"That's what I thought. And that was what it was like with Pan. You know... everything..." He paused, let his cerulean eyes scan the room, the met up with Goten's black ones. "... _everything_ was better. I was happy." 

"Trunks you always move on. Why can't you just let her go like you've done with the others?" Goten asked, but he had a feeling he already knew the answer. Everyone knew about Trunks and Pan. They knew how each of them were more cheerful and their lives seemed more fulfilled while they had been seeing each other. But no one knew what had gone on that had brought it all to a quick end. No one except Pan and Trunks. 

"I can't move on. I won't." He whispered, raw determination within his voice. "Goten, I came here to ask for your help. Pan was always pretty close to you, and - " 

"Hey," Goten cut his friend off. "Don't make me pick sides. I'm sorry, but if you have some revenge thing or something being concoct in that CEO brain of yours, you can just count me out." 

" - I need your help to get her back." Trunks finished, seemingly unaffected by Goten's interruption. 

"Get her back? Trunks, if you hadn't broken it off in the - "

"No, _she_ broke it off." Trunks said in half despair, his confidence and shell of coolness slowly melting away. 

"Well, you guys _knew_ you were taking a gamble. You're best friends. Taking that friendship down the romantic path was a risk. If it didn't work out, you're friendship could be damaged, but you were both willing to take that risk. You guys are too close to let the fact that you can't work romantically ruin your friendship. Don't tell me Pan doesn't see that." 

"No, you don't understand... Pan and I were... perfect. We were so close. We knew what the other wanted, when they wanted it... you know - everything. It was like, we were one person; split apart at birth, then when we found each other our souls become one again and we were complete. I was never more happy in my entire life. I was going to marry her, that I was. But out of nowhere it all ended. Everything. Just like that." He snapped his fingers to prove his point. "No explanation, no excuse. Just 'it's not working, I think we should stop seeing each other'. And that was the end of Pan and I."

"That doesn't sound like Pan..." Goten mused. Trunks turned violently towards him and glared. 

"Well it was." He snarled, the frowned and the pained look returned to his eyes. He turned back and looked out the window at the darkening sky. "So happy. I need Pan. I can't do this anymore, dammit!" He cursed, throwing the bottle across the room where it smashed on the wall and shattered. He hung his head down, and stared at his feet. "Why did she go? She damn well owed me an explanation." Goten stood silently waiting to see if Trunks would continue, a little effected by his out burst, but he would rather him take his hurt and anger out on a wine bottle instead of the cause of his problem which would be his niece. "It's not her fault though..." Trunks whispered. "Something happened.... I don't care what, Goten, I just want to get her back. Will you help me?" He asked hopeful. 

"I'll do anything I can." Goten answered truthfully. "If you don't mind I'll talk it over with Marron since she belongs to that crazy race known as females, and she may understand their weird rituals and such." Goten said with a small grin, attempting to make a joke 

"Thanks." Trunks whispered with a small grin himself.

"Hey come on, Trunks!" Goten said, giving him a shove. "You know I hate to see you all wussy and vulnerable." Trunks made a small laugh that made his shoulders raise a bit. 

"Do you have _any_ idea why she broke it off?" Goten asked. He shrugged. 

"Mom thinks it's because we were too close as friends." 

"Oh. I'll talk it over with Mare, kay?" Trunks nodded, and thanked Goten, before turning to trek back home. The small chimes above the door chimed one last time for the day, and Goten slowly locked up once his friend had left. "So we all know that they were happy together. We just don't know how it ended... and I guess now, it's only Pan that really knows." Goten said to himself, before flicking the light off and trudging up the stairs into the apartment above. 

The suite was decoyed in pastel colours that Marron had selected out and had beautifully changed the run down old rooms into ones that looked like they stepped out of pages of a magazine. Of coarse Bra had helped her with the designs, since she was the best of the five friends when it came to that department. The five of them had been friends for a long time. Trunks, Goten, Marron, Bra and Pan. Each contributing their own talents to the group of friends. When each had left the protective arms of their parents, or in Goten's case - the fleeing from his parents, they had to discover their own strengths and use them in the world. Trunks had his given to him by heritage. He was the CEO of Capsule Corporation - one of the most high tech and largest corp. in the world. His younger sister, Bra, had taken to the fashion and was a designer of wedding gowns. She was becoming more and more popular and woman from all over the country were ordering personalized dresses from her shop. Goten, of coarse, had discovered his talent in the food category, and Marron was right beside him every step of the way. And naturally, Pan had taken a more academic route, but still maintained a creative and artsy side to her, since she was an author. She had over five best sellers, and had written many novels so far, even though she had only been out of college for a year or so. They had all changed since their care-free teen years, but for better or worse wasn't quite determined yet.

Goten tiredly shrugged off his working attire, and slipped a t-shirt and kept his boxers on as he slipped into the warm covers beside his wife. He stretched an arm around her and pulled her close to him.

"Hey hun." She murmured sleepily, snuggling into his embrace as best she could with her stomach the size that it was. 

"Mmm." Goten yawned, and snuggled into the pillows, feeling sleep nag at him. 

"How'd it go with Trunks?"

"He wants me to help get him and Pan back together. I said I'd do all I could."

"Well, why did they end it in the first place?" 

"Pan did it, and he doesn't know why." Goten said, his voice slowly becoming quieter as his mind drifted away. 

"Well what did Pan say when they broke up?" Marron asked. She was met by silence... and then by a choked snore. Sighing and swallowing a small laugh, she turned her head, placed a butterfly kiss on the tip of his nose, before joining him in the land of dreams. 

***

**Pan** **lightly** twirled the mug in her small hands, sitting comfortably at the kitchen table, lost in her own thoughts. Her painted nails grazed over the cream coloured cup with deep blue symbols and letterings printed all over it's surface. She had always liked the mug. When she was a child, her parents would drink out of replicas of hers, and they always poured her some milk, considering she wasn't old enough to be downing coffee. The apartment was quiet, and no sound could be heard through it except the persistent ticking of the clock which hung in the living room. The apartment was completely spotless and organized, except for the lone tv-dinner that she had taken out of the freezer but never made it out of the box, and the clothing she had worn that day which was strewn on the bathroom floor, her being to tired to pick it up right now. 

The meeting she had attended took longer than she had anticipated. Her editor had called her that afternoon to say a new illustrator wanted to make a brand new design cover for her original novel. After what was hours, the entire team; Pan, the illustrator, her manager, and Zachary - her editor, came to a final design and picked out the design. From what had started as a mid after noon meeting turned into an all night affair, and by the time they retired, it was too late to do anything except go home. Pan hadn't eaten yet, but she rejected the idea of going to a restaurant alone, so she drove home remembering she had frozen dinners at her place. The spring weather had already started to kick in and a light dribble had fallen, causing it to be more difficult to drive, resulting in it taking even longer for her to make it back to her apartment. She had stripped herself of her work attire, and shrugged on some sleeping wear. She felt too lazy and tired to make dinner, so she settled for one cup of coffee. 

And that's where she was. All in all it had been an irritating day. First off she had woken up with that discontent feeling, wishing she could just sleep forever. Second, her mother called. Now, not to make lies out of the truth, Pan loved her mother dearly, but found it unwanted and unnecessary to be called every other day to see 'how she is doing'. Third, she had writer's block. A major one. Not just a small brick that could be flicked away the next day, but like a mountain of stones, all piled up denying her entrance to her inspiration and writing. And finally there was the meeting. Everything considered, Pan just wanted to go to sleep. 

Pushing herself away from the table, Pan took her cup in hand and walked over to her sink. Dumping the contents down the drain, she gave the cup a quick rinse before placing it in the sink. With a sigh of dismay towards her empty stomach, she grungily tossed the thawed out dinner back into the freezer for another day. She made a quick round check of her apartment, making sure that all the doors were locked, windows closed, and lights switched off. Satisfied with her inspection, she retired to her bedroom, and slunked under the sheets, happy for the warmth and comfort they offered her. 

Turning to her side, and curling up slightly ready for sleep, a strand of Pan's smooth black hair fell over her half-closed eyes. Pan frowned. She brushed it away, but sat up in bed, already disturbed from her half-slumber. She turned her head and looked at her own reflection in the full length mirror that stood across her room. 

Her hair was slightly curled so that it would wrap around her chin and shoulders, and it was cut short and uneven. Totally opposite from her long silky hair that had trailed halfway down her back only weeks ago. Pan had gotten rid of it. She couldn't stand looking at herself everyday. Cutting her hair, and slightly altering her wardrobe, she got rid of the Pan Son that had so easily ditched Trunks. Tossed away the Pan that had torn his heart as well as her own. Truth was - she was afraid of that Pan. Afraid of what she could become. Getting rid of her also got rid of the feelings she had felt. The feelings that caused her to shake, and want to never to be near Trunks again, yet never without him at the same time. The feelings that wretched her soul and made her want to crawl into a dark corner and just rot away when she couldn't find him. Feelings that she didn't understand. Feelings she didn't want to understand. Feelings that were tossed away with Trunks and the girl that was once Pan. 

Pan sighed and curled under covers, disregarding any memory of what had happened while she was with Trunks. Something had happened - some sort of sensation or feeling. One that Pan was scared of and didn't follow. She didn't like what she couldn't comprehend. So, she fled from it - fled from the unknown. As sleep engulfed her, she had one last half-conscious thought...

_*You're such a liar Pan... you know what that feeling is...*_ Drifting away before she could hear the rest of what her heart so yearned to tell her stubborn mind. 

_*It's love.*_

  
  


To be continued... 


	2. Of Shattered Glass and Angry Husbands

Chapter Two: Of Shattered Glass and Angry Husbands

  
  


**_Crunch_**__

_Crunch_

_Crunch_

__Pan liked the noise the corn flakes made in her mouth when her teeth broke them up into swallow-able portions. It made her feel more in control of her life. The power of being able to squash and destroy things made up for her lack of strength she had against her social problems she was going through. Today promised to be a more relaxed day than yesterday which seemed to brighten her mood drastically. 

She had already showered and dressed, deciding on simple black slacks and a red turtle neck after what seemed like hours of sorting through her closet. Normally she wouldn't care what she wore if she were planning on staying home and writing, but Marron had called that morning, wanting to know if she could spare some time to chit-chat and catch up a bit, so she felt she might as well look presentable since she was going out in public, and to her uncle's café, and she didn't want to give it a bad reputation by showing up in her usual cut-up jeans and mismatched socks. Her sense of fashion was nothing like it had been as a child, and she had come to terms with her being female and learn to ditch the 'tom boy' look and accept that she was stuck being a girl. Pan was caught wearing skirts more frequently in public, and she had even learned to walk in heels as a teen (due to couching and begging from her friend, Bra). Bra had also helped her select her first 'girl' wardrobe back when she was in high school, and few hints remained that Pan was the same bratty, spunky child that had searched that year for the dragon balls. Infant one of the only things she had kept from her child image was the colour red. It blended well with her raven black hair, and everyone said it did look good on her, so red had become Pan's 'colour'. She had sadly and regrettably hung up her cherished bandana from her child hood years, although she still adored the orange accessory, it wasn't appropriate for a 21-year-old author to prance around with it on their head. However if she was feeling childish or in a happy sort of mood, she would wear it again in private, and sometimes when writing because it seemed to have the power to get her through writer's block. 

Clanging her spoon down, she lifted the glass bowl off the table and to her lips to drink up the remaining milk at the bottom of the bowl. She set it in the sink, and raided her own fridge in search for some orange juice, and upon finding it, poured herself a glass. 

_RING RING_

__The glass that had been directed towards her mouth, slipped from her hand as she wasn't expecting the phone to ring and it had startled her. The glass fell to the floor and shattered, spreading glass and orange juice all over her clean kitchen floor. 

"Damn." She muttered. 

_RING RING _

__"Ugh, I'm coming, I'm coming!" She screeched to herself, hopping across the mess on the floor and grabbing her cordless phone that was on the table. "Yes, hello?" 

"Pan, it's me." He said in a happy tone that Pan never felt was necessary in the morning. 

"Hey, Zach," She started. Zachary was her editor and had been ever since she had first joined the reign of authors. He was completely honest about her work, and was always there to help her improve. They got along well and were on first name basis. They were a lot alike - one of the reasons they had taken their working relationship to the level of friendship and just recently past that. "If you called to say I have to see that illustrator again, Kami help me, I'll hang up right now." 

"No, Pan," He gave a small chuckle, and Pan could picture his face as he laughed. Zach had a face that completely lit up when he was happy. His pale chestnut hair would slip over his eyes, and his thin-rimmed glasses down his nose. "I just called to see if you'd like to go out for brunch." 

"Can't. I already have plans with a friend." Pan explained, and knelt down to the floor and began to pick up the pieces of glass. 

"Maybe tomorrow then?" He asked casually. Pan leaned forwards to grab a piece of glass, missed, and ended up having it slice her finger a bit. 

"Ugh!" She cried in irritation, and stuck the bleeding finger in her mouth, while running to the washroom to clean it up. 

"What's wrong? Tomorrow bad?" Zach asked, somewhat offended by her reaction. 

"Wha? Oh, no, I just cut myself. Sorry, uh, I'll have to get back to you on tomorrow. I really want to get started on a new chapter for my novel." 

"Heh, that's what I love about you, Pan - always on task. Well, I'd better go." Pan scowled slightly at the faint _'click'_ that sounded from the receiver that should have been proceeded with a 'good-bye' but had not. 

"Bye to you too." She muttered, hanging up her end as well. She took her finger out from under the cold rushing water and examined it under the light. It was a small cut, skin deep, but right on a vein which caused it to bleed more than it should have. She reached for a towel, whipped off the water and dug through her cabinet to find a band-aid. Being a sayian, and not really having a constant need for band-aids, she wasn't all to sure that she actually owned any, and surprised herself when she pulled out the small medical device. She wrapped it around her finger before returning to the kitchen to pick up the remaining glass off the floor, then mopped up the spilt orange juice, finishing it off with a cleaner so that the floor wouldn't be sticky. Doing a final once-over of her appearance, she nodded in acceptance, and went to grab her keys by the door - 

"Agh. Pan, you are _so_ hopeless." She cursed herself, looking to the spot where she had thought her keys had been placed, but evidently not. With a tired sigh, she set to searching her apartment for the misplaced item. After a few minutes of searching and coming up with nothing, Pan's patience was beginning to ware, as well as the thought that today would be better than yesterday. 

_*...I'm _always_ misplacing my keys too, Panny! But, I simply retrace every single step until I find them. It works every time.* _

__Trunks' words filtered into her mind and she walked back into the kitchen and stood right where the mess had once been. "Okay..." She started, nodding her head in assurance, figuring she had nothing to lose, she walked to the washroom. "Kay, washed my finger here... then spilt juice here..." Pan spoke to herself, retracing her steps. ..."closet... then shower... bed... sleep... coffee... took out tv dinn-" she paused and laughed. Sitting on the counter beside the freezer were her keys, snatching them up, she stuffed them in her pocket, and closed up her apartment to head over to Marron's place. "Huh, it actually works, I guess I owe Trunks one." 

***

"**Over here** Panny! I'll be with ya in a sec." Marron's chirpy voice rang out from across the room. Pan shifted her gaze from the opening lobby to where her friend's voice had called her from. Shifting her purse on her shoulder, she walked towards her usual table, happy to see so many people at her uncle's place, and thankful to her feet for being able to escape heels for the day and take a major step down to combat boots. Pan flipped her short hair out of her line of vision, and took a seat at her table after smoothing her turtle-neck down. She leaned back in the chair, closed her eyes, and let the weariness and slight cramps in her shoulders that she got from being hunched over at her typewriter, slip away. 

She allowed herself the time to silently scan the busy coffee stop. The table at which she sat at had been deemed to her since the day the shop was first opened. She had been there from the beginning, always supportive. It was all they really had to live on at the beginning. Leaving the protective arms of their parents, and learning to live life by themselves, they had to rely on their friends to get through the times. She remembered how they had all helped her when she first made her move into the real world. Fresh out of university, ready to live on her own - they had all helped her in their own way. Bra was an endless supply on compliments and hope-raising, Marron was just a comfortable person to talk to and get it all out. The guys, Trunks and Goten, had been protective at their little girl joining them in the working world and sentimental at realizing how old they actually were, but all in all, they both were mountains of help towards her. 

"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting." Marron said, pulling the seat across from Pan, and sitting down. Pan smiled at her friend, as she passed over a cappuccino, while sipping one herself. Although Marron was thirty years old, she definitely didn't look it. Her golden hair was loosely tied up by a ribbon that perfectly matched her ironed-pressed apron that was wrapped more loosely than usually around her waist, and Pan had a good guess why.

"How's the baby coming?" She questioned with a tilt of her head to the side and sip of her mug. Marron grinned, her smile lighting up her entire face, and she absently rubbed her growing stomach. 

"Great. It's a kicker though." Marron said with a laugh. "I think it'll be a fighter. Just like its father..." She whispered absentmindedly. 

"Speaking of him, where is that goof?" Pan asked. Marron shooed the question away with a wave of her hand, and turned her head away. 

"Oh, he's in the kitchen." 

"Eating?" Pan asked, with a grin. 

"No. He's finally learned that he cooks at work, and eats at home." Marron and Pan shared a chuckle over the sayian appetite, and continued with some small talk. Pan smiled at her friend - and family member by law. The tiny baby growing inside of her would be her cousin when born, since the father was her uncle. Goten and Marron. She really hadn't seen it coming. Pan had always thought that Goten would stick with Parisu, but things just didn't work out between them, and apparently they did with Marron. Pan couldn't be more happy for them. After they had gotten married about a year ago, Goten suddenly discovered his talent in the cooking world - most likely inherited from his mother. And with Marron's eye for profit and style, they set up a cute little restaurant in east city. The happy couple lived far enough away from their parents to live a decent life, but still close enough to visit anytime. That's the way all of them were. Grown up, and moved away, but still occasionally heading back to the nest to visit with mothers and fathers. 

"So how are you and Trunks?" Marron asked out of the blue. It brought Pan spiraling down from her train of thought, and she looked Marron straight in the eye.

"Fine." Pan muttered, the happy atmosphere created between them, vanishing at the mention of the demi sayian. 

"Fine? That's funny. Trunks was in here last night and it really didn't seem that everything was... fine." Pan paled slightly, and set her cup down slowly. 

"What did he say?" She asked, slight worry in her voice. 

"It was too emotional for him to tell us." Pan smirked, and shook her head. 

"Trunks exaggerates and so do you." Marron raised her eyebrows but said nothing. "Look, it's not that we hate each other... you know there wasn't any messy break up, it just wasn't working out. We called it quits." Pan sighed, and gazed out the window at the people passing by. All seemed to have not a care in the world - perfect lives. She, however was stuck in an endless tunnel of confusion and relentless routines. 

"Hey, lots of best friends take that plunge to become something more. Some stick with it and they've never been happier, others..."

"Take the chance, and it ruins the once strong friendship that they shared." 

"... or others take the chance but get to afraid before they realize what they have together." Pan didn't reply but looked down at her lap, then took her purse and fished out a bill to pay for the coffee, before standing up. She handed the bill to Marron, but Marron simply shook her head and thrust it back at her. 

"It's always on the house." Marron said with a smile. 

"I insist." 

"Keep it." She said with the tone of voice of a pregnant woman you don't want to mess with. Pan shrugged and reluctantly kept the bill. "Hey, maybe you just weren't one of the lucky ones. It happens to the best of us." 

"Yeah. I just wish I could turn back time." Pan muttered, pushing in her chair. 

"Yes well... don't even try it Pan. Time is a dangerous thing to mess with, you could..."

"Marron!" Pan interrupted her. "I was only making a statement. I have no intention of using a time machine for my own social life advantages." She leaned over and hugged her friend, before briskly walking towards the door. Glancing back to make sure Marron wasn't looking, she slipped the bill onto the counter, and shifted her coat, preparing for the chilled wind that would meet her once she stepped outside. 

"No, Pan... you definitely weren't a lucky one. You have no clue what you had do you?" Marron thought aloud to herself. 

"Yo! Service!" Marron was shocked out of her thoughts by the call from across the room, and she turned to see two men sitting at a booth calling to her. She walked over to them, analyzing their appearances. Both of them were dressed in dark colours and rather ripped material. Past all the piercings and the tattoos there really wasn't much left behind - all in all _not _the kind of people that she wanted in her store. 

"Yes, uh, can I take your order?" She asked quietly. 

"Babe, what happened to you?" One of them asked, his voice slightly slurred. 

"Ass." The other cried, punching his friend in the shoulder. "It's obvious that she just got knocked up." He then turned to Marron and said, "why didn't you just kill it so you wouldn't have to walk around looking like a fat bi-" Marron was shocked and couldn't move or think of anything to say, but a strong hand gently ushered her to the side, and then the owner took a step forwards. Marron, as well as a most of the café, turned to see the scene that was being created. 

"Don't you _dare_ talk to my wife that way." Goten let out through his clenched teeth. Piking him up by the collar of his shirt, Goten grabbed the man, as well as his friend, and walked briskly to the door. Kicking it open with his foot, he proceeded to throw them none-to-nicely out of his café - literally. "If I ever see you again, I promise I'll pound your face so far into the ground, that-"

"Let it go." Marron whispered, coming up to Goten and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. The two men, quickly averted themselves to a standing position and ran for all they were worth. 

"Cowards." Goten muttered. He then turned to his wife and gave her a small hug, which in reality was really just the biggest one he could offer due to her stomach getting in the way of getting real close. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, fine." Marron said with a smile. "It'll take more than a few choice words from a couple of drunks to raffle me up." She said, lightly punching his shoulder. "Come on, lets get back to work."

"Yes ma'am." 

***

**Carefully **balancing her pepsi and her plate of pasta, Pan teetered over to her study and set the items down. She raced back into the kitchen and grabbed some utensils and a napkin before returning to the small study - her work office. It was decoyed in almost all white giving off a light, happy atmosphere that Pan found essential to work in. Huge windows stood on the far side of the room, lined with silk curtains, and in front of the windows she had positioned her desk so that she could gaze out the window when writing. She walked to it, drew back the curtains and pulled the window open, letting the cool night breeze filter in, and displaying the night sky blanketed in twinkling stars. 

She had already stripped off her day clothes and now wore old shorts and a T, and had resorted to wearing her orange bandana for some sort of inspiration. She curled up on the cushioned chair and began to munch on her hot pasta, and go through her story outline in her mind. Normally, she would think of a vague plot line and then just let her fingers type out the rest. No well thought out plans, just pure inspiration when it hits. 

Her last novel had been the biggest success out of all of them. It had even been translated into different languages and was being published all around the world. It was said to be one of the most fantastic fantasy/romance ever written. It was her most proudest work yet. That novel had also been the easiest to write. She assumed that she had gotten over the point that all authors faced and had hit the jackpot of inspiration talent. She thought her next novel would be even easier to write than her last. 

"Well, and I thought this was going to be easy. I was wrong. I was so wrong, it's not even funny." She murmured to herself. "How could the other one be so easy, when I can't even get a basic plot outline done now!?" She screeched in frustration. "I'm going to bed, and tomorrow I will not let anything distract me. I'll stay inside and do nothing at all except write." 

_*Pan, that won't help you. The only reason you could write so easily the last time, is because you had your own relationship to inspire you.*_

__"Are you crazy? I have Zach now, and he's much more... more... punctual then Trunks ever was."

_*Punctual? Wow, you have stooped low, girl. You could write so beautifully because that's what you felt like with him.* _

__"Yeah, and now I can't write a thing." She whispered, staring of into the night sky, her mind fazing out of her conscious mind. 

_*... 'cause you don't feel a thing with Zach either.* _

  
  


To be continued... 

  
  



	3. Of Yearbook Photos and Misspelled Charac...

Disclaimer: Apparently I have forgotten to put this up... as if anyone thought I owned it anyway. Well, I don't own any DragonBall characters. 

  
  


AN: Heh, I got a few complaints about Goten/Marron being a couple, not to mention a nasty email about it. I was told I should say in my summary to indicate that there was G/M here. Well, I don't consider them my primary couple, so I really have to intention of doing that. So, to keep everyone happy, I will tell you now. Ahem. Goten and Marron are married in this story, and they will remain that way through out it. 

  
  


Chapter Three: Of Yearbook Photos and Misspelled Characters

  
  


"**Oh thank you** so much." Her face twisted into a delighted smile, and she took the book and hugged it close to her chest. "I just love this book, and you are such a fantastic author." 

"Thank you." Pan smiled modestly at the woman who was practically turning cartwheels at the book Pan had just signed. Zach gently ushered the fan away so that the next person in line could have their book signed. Pan didn't like book signings. First of all, she didn't really consider herself to be a superb author, so it made her feel somewhat guilty to have so many people lined up to get her book. Second of all, she really hated the publicity it gave when she would rather just stay at home and watch tv. 

The next girl in line had stunning red hair that fell into ringlets around her face and appeared natural. She had freckles dotting the bridge of her nose and perfect white teeth. She was wearing some jeans and a tight t-shirt with the 'orange star highschool' insignia on it. She handed Pan her novel, and said "Make it out to Jenny, please." 

"Jenny? Alright." Pan murmured, signing the cover. She looked up again and asked, "You go to Orange Star?" The girl quickly nodded. 

"Have you heard about it?" She asked excited. Pan smiled, and gave a nod.

"Sure have. I graduated there." She informed her. Jenny's mouth opened and she raised her eyebrows. 

"No way. That is so cool!" She chirped. "I love your novels. They are just so romantic and sweet. Me and my friends think that you write them from personal experiences but there's not that much personal information about you available, so we could never look into it." 

"I wouldn't say everything is personal experiences, but I guess I have had some influences in my life before." Pan replied, handing the teen the signed book. 

"Thank you so much. I can't believe you went to my highschool! You don't use a pen name do you?" 

"No, why?" 

"Oh good, now I can look you up in the yearbook." The girl said, before Zach shooed her away. Pan paled and a look of mortification crossed her face. Zach turned to her, concern evident in his eyes. 

"Pan, is something wrong?" 

"She's going to show all of her friends my highschool picture." 

"Oh, was it bad?"

"Well, I have a problem - I don't remember." Pan said with a frown, before looking towards the ceiling and made a prayer to Dende it was acceptable.

***

"**I'm sorry** sir, but unless you have an appointment, you'll have to take a seat." 

"But I-" 

"There are no exceptions." The woman pointed towards a chair with a smug look crossing her wrinkled features and with a scowl, Trunks walked over to it and plunked himself down. He turned and scowled at the woman for a few minutes to make sure she knew of his disgust for her, before getting bored, and contenting himself to just closing his eyes and meditating. 

He was deep into thought when he heard the scrapping of a chair and the noise of someone's heels walking, getting softer and softer. He opened one eye and looked to where the woman had once been, and smirked to himself. Pushing himself from the chair, he went straight ahead past the desk. He shouldn't need an appointment to visit, he had walked all the way from Capsule Corp just to see her after all. 

He strode into the room and glanced around to make sure he wasn't interrupting anything. "I told you to stay out there!" The same woman shrieked from her position. Trunks turned to her and glared. 

"Cathy, what is wrong? Trunks, don't mind her. Come on over." She said, waving her hand towards herself. Trunks lips quirked and he slowly walked over to her, first smirking at 'Cathy' and then greeting the person he had come to visit. 

"Hey sis." Trunks said towards Bra. She nodded in acknowledgment, still working on her task. A young woman with shoulder length sea-green hair stood on a stole, while Bra stiffly walked around her examining the dress. 

Trunks couldn't help but admire his younger sister's work, for the dress she made really was beautiful. Bra had always had a keen fashion sense, she just took it a step further to making it her profession. Mixing it in with her love to play matchmaker, she became a designer of wedding gowns and hers were first class. Bra was good at what she did, not only in her dress making, but also in the romantic category. She had been the one to get Goten and Marron as well as him and Pan together, although she couldn't keep a date herself. 

Bra pinned up a small amount of white material, gave the bridge of her small-framed glasses a shove upwards and turned to Trunks. "So, what up?"

"I sort of want your help with something, if you're up for giving advice." Trunks confessed.

"Umm hmm. Let me guess - Pan?" 

"Yeah."

"Predictable." She commented, taking a pin from in between her teeth and re-adjusting a fold on the waist line. "So you guys off or on?"

"She broke it off."

"Okay, and you want help forgetting her, getting the friendship back or getting the love back?"

"Love." Trunks replied simply as Bra shoved him a pile of fabric for him to hold which he did without complaint. 

"I see." She whispered, pinning up a few more things before taking a step back to admire her work. "Well, what do you think?" She asked. Trunks nodded and the bride on the stool spun around in a 360 to get a full look of herself. 

"Oh it's perfect." The girl said with a big smile, and Bra helped her down from the stool where Cathy led her away to change back. Bra lightly kicked the stool away, and began to put her working materials aside. 

"Well, I think I have a plan Trunks, but you got be willing to go through with it." 

"...alright." Smiling, she took him by the arm and led him to the back of the store to begin the planning. Trunks' worries slowly slipped away at the realization that while Pan was defenseless, he had a professional on his side - Matchmaker Bra. 

***

"**So much** for staying inside all day." Pan muttered walking down the vacant streets of the small town. Former plans of staying at home and writing her heart out had collapsed the second she had taken a seat at her typewriter. Everything was too distracting. Birds were chirping continuously outside her window, the light was too strong, the heat too much, the clock's ticking too loud. Not to mention that beyond the physical distractions she had a mental one because she couldn't stay focused; her mind always wondering off to her social problems. Giving up and deciding to take a walk to clear her tired mind, she left her apartment to walk downtown which was unusually quiet for a Tuesday afternoon. 

She had worn a sleeveless black dress that came down to her knees. She wasn't really a 'dress' girl, but she liked to wear heels to get her mind off things because the 'click clack' they made seemed to strangely sooth her mind. And since she wasn't a fan of wearing heels with pants, she figured she had to wear a dress. She wore a red scarf with it just to add some colour to her outfit and let her hair down with no clips, it brushing teasingly at the nip of her neck when she walked. Pan loved the colours black and red, it was practically the only colour combination she could pull off and she pulled it off well. 

Pan walked past a mother with her child, the child begging the mother to buy her some icecream, and Pan couldn't help but smile. She loved children; couldn't wait to have her own. However children meant getting married and she seemed to have a nack for driving guys away. When she was a young teen it had been her power; the guys couldn't understand how she was so strong and it frightened them. No way she was going to tell them she was one forth alien. In fact, her sayian heritage was what drove most guys away (those she had been brave enough to tell anyway) and the one guy that not only understood but could relate to was well (a.k.a. Trunks) she had pushed away at the first sign of trouble. Maybe trouble wasn't the best word it was more like... actually she didn't know what it was. It was in the past, and theres nothing she can do now. What had been done was done. Besides, it's not like she'd ever have to worry about him again, they both were doing a pretty good job of avoiding each other... 

"Ow." She cried, falling to the ground. She had been so occupied with her thoughts, she really hadn't looked where she was going and had walked right into someone. 

"My fault." The other victim of the collision muttered. "I wasn't looking where I... Pan?" Pan took her eyes off her knee which she was inspecting for injury, and let her eyes wonder up to the person across from her sprawled on the sidewalk. Figures. She turned her mouth into a scowl and gave him the meanest look she could muster with her legs awkwardly bent under her body on the cold sidewalk. 

"Trunks. Thank you for pushing me to the ground. It made my day complete. I was thinking, 'gee, this day has been too good; I really should have someone smash me to the ground' - and there you are." She said, sarcasm dripping in her tone as she pushed her self to her feet. Trunks soon followed and stood in front of her, almost a head higher than she was, despite the heels. 

"Pan, what is your problem?" 

"My problem is you Trunks." 

"Me? What did I ever do?" 

"You pushed me to the ground." 

"Hey, I wasn't the only one not watching where I was going. Your mind's to absorbed with other things, no doubt. Probably swooning over that fabulous editor of yours."

"Excuse me?" Pan asked, anger seeping into her voice.

"You heard me. Everyone knows you have some thing with your dear associate. He is after all the reason you called us off."

"No it's not!" Pan cried, closing her eyes and placing her hands over her ears. 

"Oh?"

"I broke up with you because I was-" Pan slowly opened her eyes and turned them directly into Trunks'. His eyes were looking intently into her, trying to read her mind. His eyebrows titled outward, giving him a generally sad look. Pan swallowed the lump that was in her throat and straightened out her black dress. "Good-bye Trunks." She whispered softly, turned on her heels and walked the other way. Away from Trunks; away from all that he was; ... away from herself. 

***

"**Why** can't I escape him?" She whispered to no one but herself. She sat at her kitchen table, once again with a cup of coffee in her hand, pondering over life's obstacles. On her walk home after her encounter with Trunks, Pan realized something. This realization hit her like a ton of bricks - she was not happy. She was miserable. She couldn't figure out why either. She hadn't always been miserable; that she was sure of. She had a wonderful childhood of adventure and mysteries. 

She glanced down to the notepad placed in front of her. On it, she had made a table with two columns. One side had 'things I have' while the other 'things I want', for surely one of these things was making her unhappy. She set her mug down and read down the list of 'things I have', crossing off those that would make her happy. 

  
  


_My job_

_My hair_

_My apartment_

_Mum and Dad_

_Zachary_

__After crossing them all off, it made sense that what she was upset over wasn't something she had, but something she didn't. She turned to the next column of 'things I want' and began at the top when...

_Knock_

_Knock_

A sharp rap came from the door, with a tired sigh, Pan put the pen down, pushed out her chair and went to answer the door. Unlatching the deadbolt, Pan creaked the door open and peered outside. No one was there. Pan stuck her head out and looked down the hallway to the left and then to the right, but no one was in sight. Shrugging, she was about to step back inside when she saw the package on her door mat. She couldn't hold back the smile at the all to familiar game of drop-the-gift-and-run. Picking it up, she walked back inside, fingering the silver wrapping paper. 

Ever since becoming an author, Pan was used to surprise gifts so it wasn't strange to find a present outside her door with the sender no where in sight. Pulling the ribbon off, she picked up the note and read it. 

_The uncertainty you had of me_

_Brought clouded shady company_

_The tenderness habitual_

_A seldom-fading ritual_

_You killed the pair_

_Now only one is breathing_

_There's no looking back_

_This time I mean it**_

  
  


The words had been typed out so there was no way of recognizing the writing. The words were somewhat disturbing though; quite different from the usual fan letters she received. She flipped the card over incase there was a name, but there wasn't. However the words-

_Yet, I forgive you_

were inscribed there. Pan stared at the card for a few minutes before placing it aside and taking the wrapped box in hand. It glistened under the light; a deep silver colour that looked strangely familiar to Pan. She carefully undid all of the folds, and unraveled the paper. Inside was a small cardboard box. Opening it, Pan pulled out a little glass figurine. It too looked familiar. It pictured a little angel-like creature kneeling by a stone, her head held to the air looking to the sky. On the base of the rock was inscribed 'Dare to Forgive'. The figurine was beautiful and Pan slid it away to later be put by her typewriter. 

Pan lifted her coffee up, but found it to be cold, and since she wasn't a fan of cold coffee she pushed it aside among the pre-opened package and turned back to her list or 'things I want'.

_A sports car_

_Puppy_

_Quieter clock_

_Trunks_

  
  


__"Well none of those are worth crying ov- oh no. When did I write _that_?!" Pan exclaimed, looking at the last item on her list. "I am so losing it." She muttered to herself before ripping the list to shreds; destroying any evidence of what was once written on the page. 

***

"**So**, did you give it to her?" Bra asked, sipping her coffee. Marron placed her glass of milk down and looked towards Trunks; waiting for his reply. They had all retired to a table in Goten's café, and were sipping drinks, all trying to get Trunks back together with Pan. Goten was absent for the time; locking up the store since it was after eight o'clock, but Bra and Marron were listening intently both fully into the game of playing matchmaker. 

"Yeah." Trunks admitted. "But, I'm not sure if there's a point..."

"Trunks, it'll work." Bra said in complete confidence. 

"It's not that. I think she might actually hate me. I ran in to her today and..."

"Trunks, I know she still likes you. Have you seen her new book?" Marron cut in.

"Glanced at it." 

"Did you see the characters' names?" 

"No." Trunks replied causing Marron smirked and dashed upstairs. Bra pulled Trunks to his feet and began to lead him to the door. He pulled his coat on and waited for Marron to return. When she came barreling down the stairs, she shoved the book into his hand. 

"She started this _before_ you guys became an item and finished it _after_ she called it off. If she hated you so much, she would'a changed the names." Marron said. Trunks glanced down at the back cover of the book and read the names. 

"Knur and Anny?" Marron opened the door and gave him a shove out. 

"Add T, S and a P, then flip 'em." She called out to him. The door closed, the chimes singing the soft tune while Bra and Marron returned to the table giggling. 

"T, S and a P... T, S and a P..." Trunks looked intently at the names. "Oh, P... Panny." He smiled then looked at the other name. "Tsknur? ... oh Kami - Sknurt and flip it - Trunks." He grinned with confidence and placed the book in his coat pocket, making a mental note to read it. 

_*Trunks and Panny... I still love the sound of it.* _

  
  


To be continued...

** (c) of No Doubt, 'Happy Now?'** 


	4. Of Sidewalk Squabbles and Doorstep Dream...

an: wai wai, I've been locked out of ffnet for a while. Plus an added BOW (block of writer's) has set this chapter back from when I would have liked to have it done. So sorry for the wait.

  
  
  
  


Chapter Four: Of Sidewalk Squabbles and Doorstep Dreams

  
  


**Pan** **lightly** traced her fingers along the wings of the small figurine that had been dropped off at her door the other day. Its wings were made of a wire frame and a transparent silk was draped over them while the rest of the form was made of glass. She glanced over at her typewriter. She had been writing all morning. Inspiration had flooded to her from that one little gift she got yesterday. Now she really wished that the person had left a name, that way she could thank him everyday. The little angel had given back her writing that had seemed to be locked up for such a long time. She had already typed 20 pages of work, and her fingers were tired, so she made up her mind to hit the streets for a little walk. 

Pan stood in her washroom, giving her hair a brush. It was much easier to handle when short but sometimes Pan missed having it trail down her back, being able to style it in so many ways... having Trunks run his finger through it. Although her hair was short, it wasn't the way she had it as a small child, but from what she had seen in the old photo albums; it was actually more like Bulma's hair when the first sayian, Raditz, had come to earth. But that was over 40 years ago. She finished with her hair and checked her outfit. Today she wore baggy red overalls and a black turtle neck. 

"Guess I can't get rid of black and red." She said to her reflection with a smile. She chose the overalls since she was in such a cheery mood, and the child-like clothing reflected it. She shoved her keys in her pocket, and locked the door, heading out into the sunny spring morning intending to throughly enjoy the rest of her day outside. 

***

"**Pan**, you look in happy mood today." Marron commented on, taking a break from serving coffee to chat a bit with her friend. Marron was beginning to wonder what was up with Pan since she hadn't seen her since she left last time a bit upset, but she had waltzed in there all smiles and Marron couldn't help but wonder what was up. 

"Thanks, I am." Pan said, smiling from ear to ear. Marron raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Why don't you tell me." 

"Well, you know how I was facing such a major writer's block?" Pan paused waiting for Marron to answer, which she did with a nod. "Well, today it was gone. Completely. I got _so_ much work done, its just made me real happy."

"Pan that's great!" Marron exclaimed, all too happy for her friend. "How did you overcome it?" 

"Oh, now this is the strange thing. Yesterday I found this gift on my doorstep." 

"Well, that's not strange. You get things like that all the time don't you?"

"Well, ya, but this one was different. First off, I recognize the wrapping paper, although I can't remember where I've seen it from before. Anyway, it came with this little poem thing about forgiveness and a little angel figurine, which was gorgeous, and... well I guess it just really touched me." 

"I see." Marron said with a grin. _*Way to go Trunks. I knew it would get her.*_

"Ya, so I put the angel by my desk, and the ideas just flowed." 

"Uh huh. Did this card have a name?" 

"No, unfortunately, it's a mystery." 

"Oh. Well, maybe you'll get more clues later on. I have to get back to work. Great talking to you again, do you want anything?"

"What? Oh, no thanks. I'll just be on my way." 

"Alright, good bye Pan." Marron said giving her friend and light hug before returning to her work. Pan straightened her overalls and headed towards the door. 

_*Today is such a good day. Nothing can ruin it.* _ Pan thought with a grin, opening the door and stepping out, when she walked right into a customer trying to step in. 

"Oh, sorry sir." Pan muttered unaffected and not looking at who she had bumped into. 

"We just keep running into each other, don't we Panny?" The man asked. Pan knew that voice well and looked up in dread. 

"Hello Trunks." Pan said quietly and dodged under his arms, beginning to walk away, however Trunks dashed ahead of her, blocking her escape.

"Why do you keep running away from me? Don't you think you owe me an explanation?" 

"Trunks, I don't want to talk about it." 

"You don't want to talk about it." He said as if tossing the statement around. "Well, you better talk about it, because I want an explanation on why you up'd and left Pan."

"It wasn't working out." 

"_What_ wasn't working out? We were doing fine, no - great!" He looked down, and spoke more quietly. "Pan, what went wrong? Please tell me." 

"I just don't feel for you in that way anymore." 

"Don't give me that, how can you..."

"In fact I barely see you as a friend!" She shouted, her fears returning when she was around him. 

"Then why'd you use the names? Why?"

"I... I don't know what you're talking about." 

"The novel. Add P, S, and a T and flip 'em. Trunks and Panny." Trunks said in a cold voice. Immense fear shot through Pan's spine and her knees seemed to be losing their strength. How did he know? "Pan, please don't..."

"I hate you Trunks. And I'll hate you for the rest of my life!" She screamed before running away. Once again, avoiding the problem and running from her fears instead of facing them. 

***

**Pan slammed** the door closed and ran into her living room where she collapsed onto the sofa. She clenched up her fists, and wound them tightly around the pillows. 

"I hate that man. I hate him with a passion!" She yelled to herself, bitter unchecked tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. She curled her body up tightly as if trying to escape the tortures of her life, and wept. Each sob racked her body with such force that it felt like she was tearing her own body apart. Pan hadn't cried like this for a very long time if ever. 

***

**He walked** up to her apartment, full of smiles, and ran a hand through his hair just to make sure it was in place. He was about to knock on the door to summon Pan out, but his attention was drawn to the floor. He looked down, and sitting right by the door was a package tied up in silver wrappings. 

"My little Pan is always getting fan gifts." He said aloud but to himself. He bent down and picked it up so that he could deliver it to her. With the parcel safely latched underneath his arms, Zachary reached a hand up and was about to knock on the door when he heard it. Pan was crying. He was sure of it. The strong-willed, stubborn Pan was actually crying. Not bothering to knock, he opened the door, relieved to find it unlocked and dashed inside. He listened carefully and followed the sobs into the living room where he found Pan curled up crying. He placed the gift on the table before pulling he up into a hug. 

"Trunks?" He heard her whisper with a sort of lisp due to her crying. 

"I think you're out of it." He whispered softly. "It's me, Zach..." He said soothingly, stroking her hair. "Pan, what happened?" Pan pulled away from him and looked into his face. 

"Zach? What are you doing here?" She asked, quickly whipping her eyes. 

"Aren't I allowed to visit you? Your door was unlocked and I heard you crying. What's wrong?" 

"None of your business, go away." She said coldly, turning away from him. Zach was upset at her tone and a little angry, but in fear of saying something regretful in her emotional state, he kept quiet. 

_*Now look what I've done... Zach is just trying to help me. This is all Trunks' fault... no. No - it's my fault. All of it. _Everything_ is my fault...*_

"Zach, I'm really sorry for biting your head off there. I'm just really... stressed." 

"Pan, people don't break down like that when they're stressed." He said, stroking her arm a bit. "If you don't want to talk about, you don't have to." He said with a smile, before turning her face towards his own. He tilted her chin back and leaned in towards her slowly, giving her the chance to back away if she wanted to. Seeing as she was not, he quickened his pace and met her lips with his own. The kiss was quick and to the point. Pan and Zach were dating, so it's natural for them to be kissing, but it made Pan feel guilty inside. 

Zach stood up quickly adding, "Just don't let it affect your writing." to his earlier statement of 'not talking about it'. He picked up the package he left on the table and dropped it in her lap. "From a fan." He simply said before walking out of the apartment, closing the door behind him, and leaving Pan all alone. 

_*It was more like _he_ didn't want to talk about my problems. Trunks would have stayed. He would have pounded my worries out of me. What have I done?* _

__Pan felt more hot tears filling up in her eyes, but angrily brushed them away. She would not cry over him. Wether this _'him'_ was Trunks or Zach, she didn't know yet. She looked down at the package that Zach had dropped in her lap and smiled. It was the same silver wrapping paper from before which meant it was most likely from the same fan. 

"I've seen this wrapping paper before. I know I have." She whispered aloud to herself. "Somewhere other than yesterday..." She thought about it for a few minutes, but nothing came to immediate mind, and since she didn't have a vast amount of self control, she went straight for the package. A similar typed note was attached which she read first; 

__

_Everybody's got something they had to leave behind  
One regret from yesterday that just seems to grow with time  
There's no use looking back, or wondering _

_How it could be now, or might have been   
Oh this I know, but still I can't find ways to let you go  
I never had a dream come true  
'Til the day that I found you**  
_

"He's writing lyrics from songs..." Pan whispered to herself. And remembering from before, flipped the card over to see; 

_I still dream of you_

Pan couldn't help but smile, and took the note to add to the other held up on her refrigerator by a few magnets. They stood in plain view so she could look at them whenever she walked by. Normally a fan's gift wouldn't touch her so, but these ones did, besides Pan had an inkling that they were from someone she knew, she just hadn't figured out who yet. Walking back to the living room, she opened the actual present to see another figurine. This seemed to be of the same angel girl, but this time she was curled up on the same rock with a content smile playing on her face. On the rock it read 'Dare to Dream'. She took it and placed it beside her other figurine and it was extremely obvious that they went hand in hand. This realization sent the gears in Pan's mind spinning. 

With a press of a button, Pan was dialing up onto the internet to do a little investigating. She logged on to the shopping network and looked up figurines, but more specifically the two she had received via the door step. With the quickness of the web, in a matter of seconds the information she wanted was on her screen.

The set that she had received was in actuality only half of it. The entire set consisted of four figures. She glanced at the two names and chose the one she wanted to use. With a click on the icon, she found out that she could purchase one at the crystal store a few blocks away, and made up her mind to go as soon as she was done online. 

"Well, with that out of the way, I just need to find some lyrics to go with it. My secret admirer will be in for a surprise." Pan said, already forgetting her little run in with Trunks. She logged onto a search engine and found some lyrics that had a connection to the figurine she would be buying. "I've never heard this song, so I don't know what it really sounds like, but I guess it'll do." She printed out the lyrics and set them beside her computer.

She then quickly logged off the internet, shut down her computer and any lights that were on and dashed outside. Making sure she had her keys, she quickly jogged down the streets with a goal in mind. She had to make it to the small crystal store before it closed for the day. She was going to buy the third angel in the set and leave it on her doorstep where hopefully her mysterious fan would pick it up. 

As she entered the small shop, apparently making it in time before it shut down, she felt the eyes of the clerk turn towards her. She and the clerk were the only ones in the store, and Pan was a sight to see. Her eyes were still somewhat puffy from her crying, her hair was windblown due to the jog from her apartment, and she _was_ wearing red overalls. Pan rushed over to the man at the cashier and smiled. 

"Hi, I'm looking for something in particular..." 

***

**Everything **was set. Pan had carefully wrapped the figurine she had purchased that day in the same silver wrapping paper. Since she had no idea where this person was getting it from, she just used the paper from the first day since she had been so careful with it. She attached the card to it, and she would put it outside when she left tonight. Zach had called up and said that he thought she should get her mind off things, and he had invited her to dinner. Pan agreed. She would place the package outside when she left to wait for him in the lobby. 

Pan did a once over of her appearance in the mean time. She was once again attired in black and red. When she went to get dressed after her shower, she found it odd that she only ever wore those two colours, and doing an inspection of her closet she realized that was really all she owned except for her 'around the house' clothes that were an assortment of colours. She had put on a red sort of party dress that was low cut, sleeveless and flared out at her waist until her knees where it ended. Pan also had a fascination with scarfs so she had added a black one to the outfit since she didn't like having attention drawn to her chest. She had a silver watch on, and glancing at it now she knew she had to leave for the lobby or else she would be late. 

Doing her routine check of the apartment, she flicked off the kitchen light after grabbing the present in her arms. Tucking her keys into her purse, she locked her door and placed the package gently down on the door step. Smiling at her work, she turned towards the elevator that would take her to the lobby where she would meet Zach, totally oblivious to the 'surprise' he had planned for her. 

  
  


To be continued...

**(c) S Club 7, 'Never had a dream come true'_  
_

Review pour moi?


	5. Of Stalking CEO's and Eavesdropped Engag...

Alrighty, thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed so far, and especially to those who have offered advice in some ways. And as a side note; I get a few complaints every once and a while saying this fic is too sappy. Agh, yeah, it can be, but I get more people saying they like it the way it is, so I'm sorry if you don't enjoy the level of sap. 

Dedication time! This one goes out to my Stevie-kins, who kindly taped Digimon for me while I was at work, and yes, you still owe me a pop (or soda). Don't some people call it that? In Canada we call it 'pop' but I tried to order an orange pop while I was in the US of A and they didn't know what I wanted. Isn't that weird? And yes, I do watch Digimon. 

  
  
  
  


Chapter Five: Of Stalking CEO's and Eavesdropped Engagements_  
___

_*I never thought that I would be in this situation. Never.*_ Trunks thought to himself, his shoes scuffing softly on the sidewalk, as he walked down the street. His hands were tucked into his pockets due to the slight chill the May afternoon had brought. _*I'm like a regular stalker. I don't know why I ever listened to Bra - this idea will never work. I've stooped to an ultimate low.*_

"Excuse me sir." Trunks was pulled out of his collective put downs, and turned to where the voice had come from. Beside him at the corner of the street stood a middle aged man with a cart full of flowers. "Care to buy a flower for the Mrs.?" Trunks glanced down at the flower arrangements he was selling and concluded that they _were_ beautiful. 

"What makes you think I'm married?" 

"Why wouldn't ye be?" He asked, with eyebrows raised, speaking in a slight accent. "Lad, I've got a nack for tellin' these things. I see it in your eye. You've got that there look o' love." Trunks could feel his cheeks rise in temperature and tried to change his eye expression so maybe the old man couldn't see what he was thinking. His mother had often said that you could see the world in Trunks' eyes, and at times it really had its disadvantages. 

"I'm not married." Trunks replied. 

"Well I'll be. You sure have them eyes on some lass though." 

"You could say that." Trunks said with a small smile. He glanced one more time at the flowers and grinned. "You know, I think I will take some flowers. Got anything in red?" The old man grin and nodded. 

"I've got roses, tulips, carnations... them little flowers." 

"I'll take a bunch of all the red ones." Trunks said, pulling out his wallet. The man picked a bunch out of the cart and arranged them in a plastic wrap. _*Well, I guess the stalker'll strike again.*_ Trunks said with a quirky grin. The man handed him the flowers with thanks.

"Good luck with the lady." He said and winked his eye. Trunks nodded, holding the bouquet carefully in his hand and began to walk towards Pan's apartment. 

***

"**Aw, Pan**, isn't it great to get out again? I know you needed a break. You were all hysterical this afternoon." Zach took his eyes off the road to look at Pan and smile. "I love that dress you know." He said, then turned back, concentrating on driving his precious car. 

_*I'm never wearing this dress again...* _Pan took a deep breath and turned back to what Zachary was saying. He was talking about some book (other than her own), which she hadn't read so was pretty much oblivious to what he was talking about. _*Smile and nod, Pan, just smile and nod...*_ Seeing as how Pan couldn't get heads or tails out of what Zach was talking about, she directed more of her attention outside; just watching the people pass by and the stores and such. It wasn't all that interesting - the streets were almost empty, until one person caught her glance. 

_*That's Trunks.*_ She scrunched up her eyes in the side mirror to make sure, and sure enough she could she his lavender hair waking away from her. _*He had flowers...* _

__"We're here Pan. I know how much you like this café. Your friends own it right?" Pan numbly nodded still distracted. 

_*... he must have a hot date tonight. Flowers and all.*_ Pan thought, small bits of sadness and jealousy in her tone but which she quickly shot out. _*Well speaking of dates, I've got one here... funny; this is where Trunks and I had our first date. He bought me flowers then.* _

***

**"Are you** sure Marron?" Trunks asked again, his cell phone clenched tightly in his hand. "Positive. They're sitting in here at a table." 

"So then there is no _possible_ way that she is at home."

"None." Marron said confidently, glancing over to Pan's table, her ear pressed to the phone to hear Trunks over the noise. 

"Alright, thanks." He clicked his phone shut and tucked it back into his pocket. _*That's a relief. I really didn't want to have to worry about being caught. With our run in today, it wouldn't be too good.*_ The elevator 'dinged' signaling that he had reached his floor, so he stepped out and walked the familiar distance to Pan's apartment. He was about to drop the flowers, having the note already written up, but he found something already in its place. A box wrapped in silver wrapping paper - _his_ silver wrapping paper. "She didn't take the gift?" He whispered aloud, somewhat upset. Reaching down he lifted it up and checked the card. 

_To the sender of these presents_

To the sender? Trunks silently wondered if Pan was going to chew him up for sending her gifts and such. Perhaps it was a polite way of saying to back off. The message was written on one side, and taking a glance down both of the hallways he made sure no one was looking before he flipped the card over. 

_There's a river that flows  
To the heart of the matters  
Follow your dreams into tomorrow  
Like the blue moon to the sea  
And the yellow moonshine  
To show you the ?  
Hear them inside life  
Close your eyes  
And listen to your thoughts  
And you'll feel your heart beatin'  
It's the river of life  
Take a trip to your mind  
The secrets you'll find**_

Trunks read the poem over a few times before opening the package. What he pulled out brought a smile to his face and he fingered it in his fingers. She had sent him the third angel in the collection. This one stood on the rock, with its hands outstretched into the air as if absorbing sunlight. On the bottom was the praise 'Dare to Live'. He placed the angel into the box, and set it aside to take with him. He then took the flowers and tore off the note he had attached to it and wrote a new one saying. 

_To live is pointless without love to light the way_

***

"**Positive**. They're sitting in here at a table." Marron said, glancing over to the table where Pan and Zachary were sitting. She listened a second while Trunks spoke in the phone, then answered, "None." to his question. After a click from Trunks' end, Marron replaced the handle back into its place and turned to Goten. "What should we do?" She whispered to her husband. 

Goten looked up from stirring a alfredo sauce and glanced towards Pan's table. "Take their order?" 

"Ugh, Goten! Fine, but I'm not doing it." She leaned over the counter and looked around the café for Steve. She caught sight of the teen who was busy serving some girls while getting some flirting action in at the same time. "Steve!" She called over to him, and waved her hand towards herself so that he would walk over to her. 

"Look boss..." He started as soon as he had sauntered over to her. His black banes hung so far down his face it was a wonder that he could see through them, which often got on Marron's nerves since because she couldn't see him in the eye, she could never tell if he was sincere or if he was lying. "Sorry 'bout that. I was just having a li-"

"Don't worry about it, Steve." Marron interrupted his babbling, and pulled on his collar so that they were very close. 

"Hey, I'm flattered and all, but you're already married." 

"Shut up, I can't talk loud." 

"Well, your husband looks like he's gonna kill me." Steve said uncomfortably, his shirt being yanked towards Marron, his face inches from hers, and Goten in the background; glaring. Marron blinked and turned around. She scowled at Goten, and returned to her formal position. 

"Look, I've got a special assignment for you." Marron said. 

"Uh, okay..." He said, full of uncertain. What would a pregnant woman who's got a young teen's clothes clenched in her fist want him to do? 

"Do you see that girl over there? The one wearing the red dress?" Marron asked, directing her eyes towards Pan. 

"The one with the killer legs?"

"Uh... I guess."

"The one with the short black hair.. scarf..."

"Yeah." 

"The one with the killer legs." Steve said with a grin. 

"Yeah well, I want you to serve them." 

"Wha- Umm, she's a classy lady, and umm, normally I just stick to-" 

"I don't care what you _normally_ stick to, tonight you're serving her. And I want you to get as much of their conversation as possible." 

"You want me to eavesdrop in your customers?" Steve asked in shock. Did Marron, cute goody blonde Marron, actually want him to do something like that? 

"Exactly." Marron said with a nod, not taking her eyes off Zach and Pan. "Anything you pick up that seems important, tell me, okay?"

"Look, this goes against all that is morally-" Steve stopped himself, blinked, and nodded. "Okay, I'm on the job." He quickly scampered off to Pan's table, leaving Marron surprised at his sudden change of mind. 

"What happened?" Marron asked Goten, who had appeared by her side. 

"Slipped him a 50." 

"Ooooooh." 

***

**"Thank you**." Pan said with a smile at his compliment. 

"I only speak the truth." Zach said with a grin. 

"Sorry to interrupt your two, but could I take your order?" Steve asked, sneaking up to them, a fifty dollar bill tucked neatly in his pocket. 

"Yes, we'll each have an espresso and the special." Zach said, already having glanced through the menu. "Isn't that right dear?"

"_Actually_, I don't like espressos, so I'll have a lotte, thank you." Pan said. Steve nodded and walked off... slowly. 

"I thought you loved espressos." Zach said, somewhat angry. "Were you trying to embarrass me?" 

"Zach, I honestly don't like espressos." 

"Alright..." He said uncertainly. 

"So..." This had to be one of the worst things about Zach. There were often times of awkward silence where neither of them knew what to day. Pan hadn't dated too many guys in her life but Zach was the worst when it came to the awkward silence... there was none with Trunks. 

"Pan, are you happy with our relationship?" 

"What do you mean, Zach? Of coarse I'm happy." Pan said quickly. 

"You don't ever wish for something more?" 

"What do you mean?" Pan asked slowly. 

"One lotte and one espresso." Steve said enthousiasticlly, placing the cups in front of their respective owners. "The specials will be around later." 

"Thanks." Pan whispered, taking a sip of hers, while Zach just nodded. Steve didn't move. Pan glanced up at him, and Zach glared. After what seemed like hours, Zach asked,

"What are you doing?" 

"Well, the specials won't be around for a while and I don't have anywhere else to serve."

"Well would you mind leaving?" 

"Oh, sure, alright." Steve said, walking away. He shrugged his shoulders towards Marron, who in turn shook her head in despair and buried her head in her hands. 

"He's hopeless." She muttered to herself. 

"That guy was sort of rude." Zach said, sipping his coffee. Pan shrugged, and played with the rim of her cup. Zach looked at her fiddling and asked, "Is something wrong?" 

"Huh? Oh... no." Pan replied, looking up at him for a brief moment before returning her gaze to the cup. 

"You seem kind of out of it." Zach pointed out.

"Do I?" Pan asked. "Sorry." 

"Pan, I need to ask you something." Pan looked up from her cup. 

_*He's finally going to talk about something. What a relief.*_

__"It's something extremely important." 

_*You could talk about your favourite nursery rhymes for all I care, anything to avoid that silence.*_

__"We've been dating for a while now. Pan, we both live care-free, unattached lifestyles. But you know as well as I do that we can't remain like that our entire lives."

_*Uh oh...*_

__"We need to settle down. Have some sort of commitment."

_*Where is he going with this?...*_

__"So... I think that maybe we should take this to the next level."

_*Oh, keep your hands where I can see them, boy.* _ Zach reached down into his pocket and pulled something out. A ring box. 

"Pan..."

_*Shit.*_

__"...will you marry me?" 

***

"Boss, boss, boss, boss!!" Marron turned from calculating the bills and looked irritably over at Steve. 

"What?" She asked impatiently. She hadn't been too impressed with his earlier handiwork. She wanted him to _casually_ eavesdrop, not stand right in front of them and expect them to gush out all their secrets! Obviously it was fifty dollars well wasted.

"Boss, it's that chick with the sweet legs."

"What? Oh, Pan! What about her?" Marron asked, her attention fully devoted towards him now. 

"The guy she's with... he just asked her to marry him." 

"_What?!_" Marron practically shrieked, standing up straight, looking towards the table. She waved Steve away and ran over to Goten. 

"Zach proposed." She whispered quickly. Goten dropped the bowl of spices he was carrying and dashed to the opening in the wall so he could look at his niece. 

"What did she say?" He asked concerned. Goten loved his little niece, and he did _not _want her to end up with a guy like Zach. Sure, Zach was fine, In fact there was nothing _wrong_ with him; he was a great guy. _But,_ Pan deserved more than great. She deserved the best. And in his mind, Trunks could give that to her. 

"She hasn't answered..." They both glued their eyes at the table. 

_*Say 'no' Pan... Please Dende, let Pan say 'no'.*_ Marron shrieked inside her head. Similar thoughts were racing through Goten's, but all were shattered when Zach slipped the ring onto her finger and they kissed. 

"Damn..." Goten muttered under his breath. 

_*Pan, you're making the biggest mistake in your life.* _Marron thought sadly. 

***

Trunks rested his chin in his hands and stared intently at the little figurine Pan had left for him. Trunks had all the money in the world at his finger tips, he could have anything he wanted. Trunks owned the largest company in the world, he owned three different cars, a huge victorian house, all the most high-tech conveniences, maids, cooks... everything, but the little angel sitting on his office desk was now the most valuable thing he owned. All because she had given it to him. Well, she didn't exactly give it to _him_, more just to her 'secret sender', but it was good enough for Trunks. He ran his finger along the silk wings and smiled. 

"If you had black hair, you'd be just like Pan... my little angel." He whispered to the small statue. Pan had no idea (or at least to his knowledge) of who was sending her these gifts, and he wasn't sure when he should tell her. She might hate him for it. She would think he was just trying to win her back (which in reality was what he was trying to do) or maybe to embarrass her. Of coarse there was the possibility, one which Trunks preferred, that she would love him for it. 

At that moment in time, everything was going his way. Then the phone rang. 

"Capsule Corp., president speaking, can I help you?" Trunks asked, somewhat dreamily. 

"Trunks!" 

"Marron? What's wrong, you sound hysterical." He said with a smile, easily picturing what her face looked like, all scrunched up, eyes popping out and yelling into the phone. He could also see Goten trying without avail to get her to calm down; and this scene brought a chuckle to his throat. 

"I tried to call you at home, but got your machine. And this is way to... I couldn't tell you this on a recording." Trunks gripped the receiver slightly tighter and lost his humorous attitude.

"What's wrong?"

"It's about Pan." Marron replied. 

"Oh Kami, was she hurt? Is she okay? Where is she?" 

"Could be, depends, here." 

"What?"

"She could be hurt as in it's a possibility in the future, her being okay depends on your definition; personally I see her not being okay in the distant future, and she's here - at the café." 

"Marron, you're not making sense. Just spit it out." 

"Pan's getting married." 

  
  


To be continued...

**(c) incognito

Review pour moi, s'il vous plait.


	6. Of Discovered Stalkers and Midmorning Wa...

Ooooh, thank you to everybody that reviewed, I appreciate it very very much.

  
  
  
  


Chapter Six: Of Discovered Stalkers and Midmorning Waltzes

  
  


"...**Pan's **getting married." 

Silence. His grip on the receiver stayed the same, his breath didn't quicken or stop in his throat. His heartbeat remained constant, his eyes remained focused, his facial expression the same. Everything was normal - except for the fact that the woman he was _destined_ to be with is going with another man, but other than that - everything was fine. 

"Say that again." Trunks asked, closing his eyes, but then reopening them to glance at his desk. _*I get it. Where's my calender? It's April the first right? April fools...* _He searched under a mass of paper work he had been working on prior to the phone call and found his desk top calender. It was a day-to-day calender with a comic for every day, but right now he wasn't in the mood for laughing. 

May 24

_*Damn.*_

__"I said, 'Pan's getting married'." Marron repeated worriedly into the phone. "Trunks, are you okay? Trunks - talk to me." 

_Click _

He gently placed the receiver back in its cradle and leaned back in his leather swivel chair. He didn't want to talk right now. He doubted that he would _ever_ want to talk about it. Quite suddenly Trunks had a sweep of despair wash over him. Out of no where he wished for his mother to talk to. He wished she would prance right into his office and demand to know what was going on. Just like in the days when he first became CEO, and often cut work and had to have Bulma watch over him like a hawk. But that was years ago. Bulma didn't need to pop in and make sure her son was working. She didn't have to go seeking for her son's problems, knowing that he would come to her if it was serious. This was serious. But Trunks couldn't bring himself to dial home to talk to her, and he didn't trust his body enough to even attempt to stand up. 

Pan - his lover. The one he was _positive_ he would live with for the rest of his life. She was gone - out of his grasp. Or was she? Engagements aren't final. He still had a chance. It was a slim one, yes, but he could still win Pan back. And this thought, made Trunks smile.

***

Pan lightly twisted the ring on her finger. It was a simple, yet elegant ring that Zach had given her, and she felt guilty for wearing it. Wearing it was like declaring to the world that she was in fact engaged, which was not true. Pan had hesitated at the proposal. She doubted that Zach had ever proposed to someone before, and she knew that if the tables were turned, she would be devastated if someone responded negatively. But how could she say 'yes'? It wouldn't be fair for her to except the proposal when she wasn't sure what she wanted yet. There were a few things she had to work out first before she could answer him. He understood. Zachary asked Pan if she would just wear the ring while she contemplated the idea, and Pan had agreed after some persuasion. 

The walk home had been cold and tiring. 

"Pan, where are you going?" Zach asked, his hand on the door to his car, noticing that Pan wasn't walking in his direction. 

"I just need some time to think. I'll walk home." Pan said with a forced smile. 

"Pan, it's freezing out and you're in short sleeves. Let me drive you-" 

"I'm walking. See you later, Zach." Pan muttered, turned on her heel and began to march in the direction of her apartment. By the time she was halfway down the street she had already heard Zach start up the engine of his car and drive away. It was going on nine o'clock, and the sky was darkening by the minute. Pan pulled her arms around herself for some sort of warmth since the temperature was quickly decreasing. _*This was a well thought out plan. Now I'm cold and soon I won't even be able to see where I'm walking. Pan, you are an idiot.* _Pan continued her walk, enjoying the time alone with her mind, despite the disagreeing surroundings. _*What am I going to do? You've really got yourself messed up this time. Zach is practically your fiancee, but you love someone else.* _

"Not that is matters..." Pan whispered to herself. "I don't think he loves me anymore. After today..." Pan trailed off letting the numbness that was already nipping at her skin, enter her mind, allowing her to discontinue any thought on the matter. 

***

"You're too much..." Pan whispered with a sigh before repositioning her purse and bending her knees to pick up the flowers that had been left at her doorstep. She pulled them to her nose and inhaled the sweet fragrances. _*I love flowers... huh, red? This guy knows me well... I hope it's a guy-" _ Pan shrugged, tucking the flowers under her arm and unlocking the door before dashing inside. She kicked off her shoes and slid into the kitchen who's floor was still lubricated due to the polish she had to put on when she spilt her orange juice. Dropping all of her junk onto the table, Pan grabbed a chair and dragged it over to the cupboards. Pan had lucked out in the gene-pool when it came to height, so she needed the extra boost the chair provided to reach the top shelves where her vases were kept. She peered around at the small assortment that were in the cupboard, and quickly chose a real crystal one - the best one she owned. Flicking the water switch on and filling the vase halfway, she carefully set the red flowers in them, then positioned them on the center of the table. 

"There we go." She said to herself, scooping up the wrapper the flowers had arrived in. She was about to toss them into the garbage when she saw a small piece of paper among the crumbled cellophane. She tugged it free of its scotch tape hold, and opened the tiny card. 

_Live?_

That's right. She had left the 'Dare to Live' angel out for him to take, and as it seemed, he had taken the token of her gratitude. 

_I can not live without her, and she can not live, for she is trapped in a gilded cage_

Pan felt her heart twitch and her lips turned into a frown. This guy doesn't know anything about her life. How could he say- 

"Kami no. I _know _that handwriting!" Pan dropped the card onto the table and it landed right beside the scraps of the silver paper she had used to wrap her own gift. "No, no, no..." She cursed. Gathering whatever sanity she had left, Pan skidded out of the kitchen and over to the hall closet. Throwing things her and there, she searched deep within until she found what she was looking for. The silver paper. It was the _exact_ silver paper. She unfolded it and found the card it had originally come with still attached. It was dated a year ago on her birthday - from Trunks. Somehow her body moved without its mind's knowledge and she was back in the kitchen, comparing the two wrappings. They were identical. It was then that Pan noticed there was a line written on the back of the flower card that she had missed. 

_Let me open your cage. Dare to be Free_

"Trunks..." Pan whispered, tears welling up. "I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not. Trunks...?" Pan placed the note down slowly and looked over at her ring that was glistening on her finger. "I've got to tell him." 

***

"**Hey guys**, sorry I'm late." Three pairs of eyes shot up, and then sadly back down upon realization of who had entered. "Well, nice to see you too." Bra said, tossing her bag lightly on the arm of the chair before taking a seat herself.

"Sorry, we're just really anxious to see Pan." Goten said, excusing them from their cold tone. 

"She's the one that called us all here, you would _think_ she would have the decency to be here on time." Trunks commented coldly. 

"Trunks, don't be like thaaaaa-" Marron started but finished off in a slight scream, grabbing anything near her as waves of nausea and pain hit her. Unfortunately, the nearest thing near to her was poor Goten's head. 

"Yikes! Marron, let go of the hair!!" He squealed, as his wife grasped tightly onto his ebony locks and yanked. She slowly lightened her grasp and pulled away, breathing in deeply to calm herself down. 

"Sorry, hun." She whispered. 

"Mare, are you okay?" Goten asked concerned at his wife. She was looking down at her stomach and biting her lip. 

"I think... it may be time..." 

"Now?! Uh, okay, just stay calm! No need to panic, everything will be okay." Goten leaped from his chair, only to have Marron yank him back down again. 

"I think it'll still be a while yet... lets wait for Pan." 

"What?! But Mar-" 

"We're going to wait for Pan, _understand_?!" 

"Yes dear." Goten replied with a pout. 

"As I was saying, Trunks, don't be like that to her." 

"Marron, she's going to tell us she's engaged. I've been spending the last _month_ trying to get her back, am I supposed to be feeling peachy about this?" Trunks asked, anger and sadness mixed into his tone. An awkward silence settled the four friends seated around the table at the café, but it was peacefully interrupted by the familiar chime of the bells that were perched above the door. This time four pairs of eyes turned to the door to see the newcomer, and thankfully this time it was Pan. 

"Sorry I'm late guys." She said, quickly walking over and taking a seat. The café was empty aside from them since it hadn't opened as of yet. "Hey, Marron, you're looking kind of pale." 

"Marron's baby is coming real soon, so talk fast." Bra said, fidgeting with the table cloth. "Oh, well, by all means, go. Don't you dare let me keep you here! Go!" 

"I'm staying." Marron replied stiffly. "Talk." With a dejected sigh and a glance at Goten which confirmed her suspicions that it was fruitless to argue with her, she began. 

"Man, I really don't know where to start..." 

"You're engaged, congrads, lets go." Trunks said standing up from his chair and reaching for his coat. Bra and Goten looked surprised at Trunks while Marron just glared. 

"I'm not engaged." Pan said defensively. 

"What was that?" Trunks said, in a deathly serious voice. Pan nervously looked around at them, took a deep breath and repeated herself. 

"I said, 'I'm not engaged'." Trunks slowly sat back down and looked at her, his eyes showing a mixture of emotions none of which Pan could place. 

"Then what's this?" Bra asked, holding up her hand and letting the simple diamond ring be seen by everyone at the table. 

"Well, yes, Zachary asked me to marry him, and I said I needed time to think, but he gave me the ring anyway while I thought it over." Pan explained. 

Trunks took his eyes off of Pan when she turned to him. His feet had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the entire world. What had she just said? She wasn't engaged. The words were like music to his ears. Pan was still within his grasp. She was still available for him. He still had the chance to re-snatch her up. Still had the opportunity to find out what had drove her away before and fix it. _But_... she could say 'yes'. The possibility was still there. He didn't know her feelings towards Zachary. One thing was for certain though, whatever drew Pan away from him, Zachary didn't have. 

"Have you made up your mind?" Bra asked, leaning towards her friend. Pan looked at her nails for a few seconds and sighed. 

"I think so. I wanted your impute first though guys. I mean... Zach's nice. He's sweet and I know he'll make me happy. Not overly jumping for joy, loving each day happy - but happy. The average married woman's type of happy. I can learn to love him" 

"If that's enough for you. Since when do you settle for anything below the best?" Marron asked venomously. "You've never given up Pan, and know you're settling for the booby prize." 

"And what's the main prize?" Pan asked annoyed. Silence engulfed the café once again. "Goten... Now." Marron squeaked. 

"Goten's the main prize?" Bra asked, looking up from her nails. 

"Noooooow!" Marron moaned , Goten nodded and grabbed his wife by the waist, pulling her to the door. "Wait, what about the café? We open in an hour." Marron cried worriedly, while clutching her stomach in pain. 

"I've got it." Trunks chimed. "I can take care of it. Pan will help, right?" He asked, turning towards the raven-haired woman. Pan looked into his face, his jaw slightly outward, his eyes softly pleading and Pan found herself unconsciously nodding. Marron nodded quickly, her fists turning a ghostly white from grabbing Goten's shirt so tightly. Goten bent down, scooped his arm to Marron's knees then bended then so that she was in his arms completely, and once this was accomplished, he flung the door open and took to the sky towards the hospital. The door swung closed, the chimes ringing then the room returned to silence. Dead silence. Bra was the first to make any sort of movement. 

"I'll go to the hospital." She said, pulling out her cell phone. "And I'll call everyone so that they know. You two just do your part." She ordered, skipping happily along. She snuck out of the door and walked slowly down the sidewalk, trying to get a glance at the two demi-sayians inside. When she reached the shop's window, she side-glanced to see them both still sitting where she had left them, neither one of them apparently talking and both just staring at each other. "Dende... can't you help us out? These two are complete morons." Bra muttered, taking her eyes away from them and concentrating on dialing numbers and walking to the hospital. 

***

He could feel her dark eyes burning into him. It was like having the sun glare right down on your bare skin - comforting, yet dangerous. He wasn't looking in her direction, he couldn't see her face, but he _knew_ that she was looking at him. With what though? Hatred? Confusion? Lust? This made Trunks smirk devilishly, wondering exactly what was going through Pan's mind. Deciding however that it could not be lust or else he would no doubt have her all over him (Pan always got what she wanted) Trunks thought it would be best to just get down to work. 

"Alright, Pan. Thank you for staying and helping me here." He turned her way and saw her nod, causing her hair to sway ever so _slightly_, but that slight movement made Trunks realize that he had never run his hands through her short hair and wondered if it was the same as he had done with her hair long. _*Now look who's lusting. Keep on track.*_ "Do you know how to cook?" 

"Yeah, I'm pretty good... when I want to be." Pan said absentmindedly. 

"Oh, I can imagine..." _*Get your mind outta the gutter, get your mind _outta _the gutter.*_

"Okay. It's a good thing you asked us here early, we still have about an hour before we have to unlock the door. But, I guess we gotta set up the tables and start on the food, huh?" 

"Yeah, that's a good idea." 

"Since cooking and I mix about as well as my father and butterflies, how about I do the tables and coffee, and you do the specials?"

"Sounds fair." 

"Great." Trunks said with a genuine smile. Pan returned it, bushed back her chair and dashed to the kitchen to begin her job. Trunks watched her go then began to take the chairs off the tables and place them in their rightful positions. 

Trunks had just finished placing the last of the velvet-cushioned chairs to the ground, when Pan appeared from out of the kitchen accompanied by a tantalizing smell of rice and fish. 

"Trunks? It's kind of quiet in here... I was wondering if you'd mind if I just put the radio on." Trunks turned his body so he was fully facing her and gave her a small grin. 

"Sure Panny. Go for it." He whispered, keeping the grin on his face. Pan nodded and walked the distance to where the stereo system was located. She turned the necessary buttons on until she found a station she liked. She smiled back at Trunks and was about to go back into the kitchen when she stopped dead in her tracks. "What's wrong?" Trunks asked, his smile disappearing from his face. Pan glanced back at the system, while Trunks watched Pan carefully. _*I wonder - oh.*_ Trunks paused and listened carefully to the music that was playing from the speakers. Soft, slow melodies that rained through the notes and then quickly changed to different upbeat tunes but still had the same sad melody. _*Pan's favourite song.*_

__Pan smiled. She loved the song. Some people had a song that they really liked, but Pan honestly had a _favourite_ song and this was it. She never tired of playing it, but with shock she noted, she hadn't listened to it since the break-up with Trunks. Her thoughts were interrupted by a pull at her waist as she felt herself being drawn closer to something - or someone. Pan looked up and realized that she was pulled tightly to Trunks' body, his hand wound snugly around her waist, giving her no room for escape. 

"Trunks, what are you doing?" Pan asked, attempting to sound angry. _*What are _you_ doing, is the question! You want him back, don't you?! Now's your chance... tell him it was all a mistake. Make him fight for you - you don't want Zachary!* _ "He doesn't want me anymore..." 

"What did you say?" Trunks asked, looking down at the raven-haired woman he had locked in his hold. 

"Nothing." Pan said, blushing that she had said that statement aloud. Trunks slowly guided her body so that they began to sway slightly in the middle of the café. "What _are_ you doing?" 

"Dancing. It is your favourite song, is it not?" Trunks asked. Pan nodded, smiled, and let Trunks take complete control of their movements while he slowly guided them around the shop. "Pan..." 

"...hmm?" Pan mumbled, having her head leaned against his chest completely relaxed. 

"Why did it end? Please tell me. I have to know." Pan stiffened noticeably, but continued to let Trunks guide her around in the dance. She was ashamed. Embarrassed at why she gave up. But he deserved to know...

"I was afraid." Pan whispered, her voice sounding as if she had been crying - which she had not. 

"Afraid of what?" Trunks asked gently. 

"Afraid of this." Pan said, making a small gesture towards her heart. "And what it was feeling... I've never felt that before - in that way, and...." Silence. 

"...and?" 

"I was afraid I'd lose it." She finished. "But, now-" 

"Now what?" Trunks asked, letting his cool, calm appearance slip. 

"Now Trunks I know. I know. Trunks, I-" 

_*Love you. Forgive you. Like you. Adore you. Want you.*_ Trunks thought wildly, listing all of the possibilities that would be pleasing for him to hear. 

"Trunks, I..." _*Say it Pan. Say it.*_

_*...Pan?*_

__"I..." 

  
  


To be continued...


	7. Of Just Three Words and Unrequited Love

**Disclaimer:** hehehehehe

**Author's Note:** Oie, I think it's about time to rap this one up. My original plan was to make this a simple one parter; but then things got switched, I changed the plot, yadda yadda yadda. Point is, I don't want to be tied down to one plot for very long. Some authors can handle it, but I'm not there yet. Hence, I'll probably tie everything up in one more chapter. But let it be said, I really, _really_ appreciate all you guys for reading, and 'specially those that took the time to review. Thanks!

  
  
  
  


Chapter Seven: Of Just Three Words and Unrequited Love

**"Now Trunks** I know. I know. Trunks, I-" 

_*Love you. Forgive you. Like you. Adore you. Want you.*_ Trunks thought wildly, listing all of the possibilities that would be pleasing for him to hear. 

"Trunks, I..." _*Say it Pan. Say it.*_

_*...Pan?*_

__"I..." She swallowed and pushed away from him. "I have to get back to the kitchen." The ending notes of a cello rang through the air - the drawn out conclusion to sad a love song - and Trunks watched it all end for him too. She, once again, was running away from him. He watched her duck back into the kitchen, the warmth of her body still present where he had held her while they danced. He could still feel the silky material of her black dress she had on. Still could sense the perfume she wore. Had the impression of the feather light hair that brushed his neck when she talked, and the sway of her red scarf when he stopped to twirl her. But she was gone. 

_*That's the same dress she wore when I ran into her after talking with Bra...* _Trunks thought with bitter irony. _*I pushed her away that day too. Dende, why do you hate me?* _

***

Pan carefully placed the coffee on the table with a smile. "Is that everything?"

"Yes, thank you." The man replied. He glanced up at Pan for a moment before speaking again. "Are you new here? I've been here everyday for a coffee after work, but I've never seen you before." He explained. Pan continued to smile, all to willing to share the news with a regular customer. 

"I'm filling in for my friend and uncle while they're at the hospital. They own this place." Pan told him. 

"Dear heavens, what happened?" He asked, general concern in his voice. 

"What happened?" Pan asked with a tilt of her head, confused. "Oh, wait, nothing bad. Marron's having her baby." Pan said, her smile returning. 

"Oh, that's great." 

"Uh huh, I'd better get back to work. Nice talking to you." 

"Indeed." He murmured, picking up his cup and turning to the newspaper he had with him. Pan walked back into the kitchen to make sure the rice and fish were doing alright. To her delight they were simmering perfectly. Pan had never really done this sort of work before, and it was a nice break from writing novels and actually was sort of fun. Although she may be reluctant to say it out loud, Pan was having a good time, despite the fact that she had to spend the day with Trunks and continually had teenage guys hit on her. 

Pulling a strand of hair back, she looked dup at the kitchen clock. Quarter after seven. 

"What?! Quarter past seven?! I'm going to be late!" Pan screeched aloud. She ran to the telephone desk and found a pen as well as a notepad and began to scribble like mad. Hearing her holler, Trunks ran into the kitchen. His face held the look of concern, and he was wildly looking around the room. 

"Pan? What is it? Did you get burned? What?" Pan looked up from her scribbling to see Trunks leaning in the hallway. His lavender hair was now slightly misplaced with the front bangs messily falling over his eyes. Pan loved it when it did that; it made him look more sexy and vulnerable at the same time. 

"Oh, no. I uh- oh yeah, I have to go to an author's convention dance-thingy and I have to leave _now_." She returned to writing on the notepad, and could hear Trunks sigh. He ran a hand through his hair and had the look of 'is that all?' that most parents learn to make. 

"What are you writing?" He asked, finally noticing her penmanship. 

"Instructions on the food." Pan replied, finishing them off. "I think you should be able to handle it." She said with a smirk before shoving the paper into his hand. She straightened her dress and turned to walk away. 

"Pan...?" Trunks began, the paper clenched in his hands, his face determined and pleading. _*Stay here. Come on Pan, don't push me away. I need you....* _Pan looked at him expectantly, but Trunks remained silent. _*Tell her. She's not psychic, you have to _tell_ her.* _"Pan... stay here." Pan continued her stare, emotionless, just waiting for Trunks to back up his request. "I mean, how important is one convention?" 

"Not extremely." Pan said truthfully. Trunks smiled,

"Then you'll stay?" 

"Trunks, I helped you out, I can't cook for you the entire night." What? Cook? 

"Pan, I meant to stay here with... me." Trunks said, his voice losing its nerve by the second. Pan found her fingers interlocking with themselves, fidgeting while Trunks spoke. "I mean, you're not going to _know_ anyone there, are you? Won't it be kind of boring?" 

"Zach will be there." Pan said, almost regrettably. At that sentence, Trunks' face fell, he shoved his hands into his pockets - he had given up. 

"Well, then I guess you better go." Trunks said, turning his back on her and pretended to be reading her food instructions. 

_*No, Trunks! Don't give up! ... Maybe he really does want me to go. I'm not sure - oh Trunks. Just say those words. Say the words so I'll know. I'll be yours forever.*_ "Just three words." 

"See ya, Pan." Trunks murmured, strain in his voice. 

_*Not those three. Trunks you jerk.*_ Pan nodded and walked out of the kitchen. "Good night, Trunks." Sadly pulling her purse onto her shoulder, she trudged out into the night air.

*** 

"**Pan, you** can do this." She muttered to her reflection. Her hands gripped the counter in the washroom hard, and she could feel her knuckles tensing and becoming white. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths in attempt to calm herself. She leaned over and ran her hands under some cold water to try and get her brain back in function. 

"What is my problem?" She asked herself desperately. "Can't I even keep one of my guys?" She asked, really to know one, not even herself anymore. "Trunks... why didn't you stop me? It would have been so easy. I just needed you to fight. Fight for me. I'm not strong enough to fight all alone. You said you'd always protect me. You lied - you're not here to protect me from... myself." Pan hastily dried off her hands and brushed a strand of ebony hair back in place. She had pulled it back with two dragonfly clips to keep it out of her way, but they didn't seem to be doing there job at the moment. 

By the sink lay the symbol of all of her prison and her escape. The engagement ring. Putting it on would mean her defeat and she would forever be left in the dark of things that could have been. A clear road that held so many beautiful futures would be lost to her forever - but of coarse they were already blocked off by Trunks. He didn't want her. The words still held venom, and she doubted they would ever stop stabbing at her heart. It also held her freedom. The escape from her eternal turmoil of choice and regret. She could belong to someone - have meaning. Never have to worry about the man that 'didn't want her anymore'. But... it would be running again. Always running. 

Pan slipped the ring on her finger. 

***

"**It's so** beautiful..." Goten murmured, holding his finger to the infants so it could grab it. "She." Marron corrected tiredly. Goten looked up from the bundle he held securely in his arms over to his wife. Her blonde hair was limp and framed her face, while her body also reflected a sense of lifelessness. He walked from the window over to his wife, but not before gently placing his new-born daughter into the arms of the nurse at the doorway. 

"There's a group of people in the lobby." Goten said quietly. "Could you please-" 

"Show them the baby?" The nurse asked with a tilt of the head and an understanding smile. "I'd love to. What's the name?" 

"Hasn't got one yet. But it's a Son. Newest addition to the Son family." The nurse nodded twice, and slipped out towards the lobby, uttering soft words to the baby. "I love you." Goten murmured, pulling Marron to him. 

"Mmm." She murmured, not being able to, but not needing to say anything more. He moved her slightly and then crawled into the bed himself before letting her tired body lean against his own. He absentmindedly stroked the hair from her eyes with his fingers. 

"I'm so proud of you." Goten said. Marron offered a last smile before falling into a comfortable sleep in her husband's arms; her child in those of her family, her close friend minding her store... and another friend about to make a huge mistake. 

"Pan..." Marron mumbled before falling into her slumber. Goten hugged her tighter, looked out the window towards the darkening sky. 

"Dende, thank you for my child, and Marron's safety... now please help my block-headed friend and my stubborn niece." 

***

"**Miss Son**, a pleasure to meet you." The voice was snarled slightly and sounded as if he had swallowed a cactus before entering. Despite this, Pan politely shook the man's hand, recognizing him as an esteemed horror author. "You've taken the woman's world by storm, young lady. You've got spunk." Pan felt herself smiling at the over-weight man who had a champagne glass pulled up to his beard. 

"Thank you." She answered modestly. "I'm afraid I've never read your work. Horror doesn't settle well with me." Pan told truthfully. Trunks had read her a horror when she was six while he was baby-sitting her, giving her horrible nightmares. She couldn't pick up that genre since. 

"Well, that makes two of us. I haven't read any of yours either. More of a lady's author you are, but your reputation is quickly developing." 

"Is that so?" Pan asked, grinning. "I'm glad." 

"Yes. Now, forgive me, but is that not a ring on your finger there? Is Miss. Son soon to become a Mrs?" 

"One could only hope." A new voice said, joining the conversation. Pan and the man turned to see Zachary standing with two glasses, one which he handed to Pan. She took it with a nod. "I must say Pan, that dress looks gorgeous." 

"Thank-you." She murmured, glancing down at her trailing red dress. _*Trunks would have said that dress is gorgeous _on you_.* _Pan brushed the thought away, concentrating on the conversation. _*I'm leaving Trunks behind. He doesn't want to keep up.*_

"Oh, then you are the husband-to-be?" The author asked, turning to Zach. 

"Not officially yet, no." He said with a wink. 

"You're not with that president anymore?" He asked, his eyebrows raised, turning to Pan. 

"Pardon me?" Pan said, nearly choking on the whine she had raised to her lips. 

"It was all in the newspapers, you both being local celebrities. Never seen anyone so in love before. That's too bad. Forgive me, I shall see you again perhaps, Miss Son." He said with a movement to kiss her hand before going off to mingle with other authors gathered at the banquet. 

_*... anyone so in love? Pan, he would have gone after you. But - he did send me those gifts... No, he just wanted you to forgive him - he just wants to be friends. Pan - Zach will make you happy.*_

  
  


_~~He's sweet and I know he'll make me happy. Not overly jumping for joy, loving each day happy - but happy. The average married woman's type of happy." _

_"Since when do you settle for anything below the best?" Marron asked venomisly.~~ _

  
  


Pan stood, dumbly holding her crystal glass, standing in the middle of the dance floor - not dancing.She zapped out of her thoughts when a new song filtered through the ball room. It was her favourite song - the one that had been on that morning. The one Trunks had danced with her. 

"Zachary, I love this song." Pan said to him, waiting for him to ask for a dance. 

"It's too sad." Zach muttered taking a sip of his drink. 

"Maybe, but I _really_ like it." Pan said unfazed. Zach turned to her with an eyebrow raised. 

"Okay, I got it. You like the song." The look in his eye sent Pan emotionless. He didn't seem to exactly care, but he didn't _not_ care either. 

"Aren't you going to dance with me?" She asked quietly. He softened his eyes, and took a step towards her. He leaned down to her ear with the intention of whispering in it. 

"I don't think we should be seen that close until we're engaged officially. Obviously you wish to take that final step. Thank you Pan. You won't regret it." Zach said, stepping away from her ear and walking quickly to the center of the room towards the microphone, dragging Pan along with him. 

_*Wha-? No. NO!*_ Her mind's scream had little effect on her body as she willingly let Zach pull her towards the microphone where he would make their engagement known to everyone. _*Please stop...* _ She wanted the words to enter her mouth, but her lips seemed dry. He was moving too fast. She couldn't get her mind and body to function in order. Her mind was thinking perfectly, but it was as if her body was in shock. It wouldn't do what she wanted it to. 

She wanted to scream. She wanted to kick. Punch, bite, gnarl his eyes out - _anything_ to keep him from moving... but why? 

It was her last chance to turn back. Deep down, within the depths of her soul, Pan knew... she _knew_ that she loved Trunks. It was there. But love isn't a one-sided deal. It has to be returned. Trunks can't love her anymore. He fought a tough fight, but in the end he gave up. He let her be carried out by the sea into its dangerous hands. But marriage was love. Not just second-rate happiness. She couldn't go through her life loving Trunks and being with Zach. It was one or the other. But giving up one for the risk of the other. It was a gamble. Pan never was good in the luck category. 

Zach stepped up to the 'mike' and tapped don it lightly. "Excuse me? I'd like to share an announcement with you all." He said, his clear, confident voice ringing through the entire ball room. The music was quickly dumped down, making it easier for them to hear the words that would come out of the esteemed editor. 

_*This is it. You will give your heart away to 'happy enough'?* _ The entire crowd turned to look at the couple by the microphone_. _The man, standing tall with grace, and his date pale, looking thin in her red ball gown. Pan gazed through the crowd. Searching for a sign on what to do. Her eyes landed on the author she had met before. He looked somewhat sad at them. Almost as if he knew... as if he disapproved. 

_"I've never seen anyone so in love..." _

_*But Zach likes me, and I like him. It could work. In fact, I _know_ it could.* _With burning confidence, Pan stood up straight, finally knowing exactly what she was going to do. She knew where her life would be headed. She had hope for a future without anymore tears. And deep down, she knew it was the right choice too. This was her last chance to control her life, and she knew right where she was headed. With a burning smile, Pan turned to Zach who began to speak. 

"Pan and I are..." 

  
  


To be continued...

Please review! 


	8. Of Life's Crossroads and Final Orders

Author's Note: Wheee, this took a heck o lot longer than I had originally thought it would take. So I apologize to those that feel the ending was rushed or what not, but frankly, I didn't want to be tied down to this story forever. 

  
  


Special Thanks to *-Michi-* and DBZ Obsessed for reviewing all the way. *waves*

  
  


Chapter Eight: Of Life's Crossroads and Final Orders

  
  


*But Zach likes me, and I like him. It could work. In fact, I know it could.* With burning confidence, Pan stood tup straight, finally knowing exactly what she was going to do. She knew where her life would be headed. She had hope for a future without anymore tears. And deep down, she knew it was the right choice too. This was her last chance to control her life, and she knew right where she was headed. With a burning smile, Pan turned to Zach who began to speak. 

"Pan and I are..." 

*But it's not what I want.* Pan reached over and pulled the 'mike' away from him. Zachary turned to look at her. He was handsome; chestnut hair grazing across emerald eyes - but he was not her handsome. She gently slid her ring off of her finger, and lifted his hand out, where she placed the ring on his palm, and closed his hand. "I once made the most terrible mistake in my life. I'm now at a cross road. One path leads to assured relative happiness, and the other leads to blissful love... save the ring for the one you love." She whispered, a few tears brimming in her eyes. Lifting up her dress, she quickly walked away from Zachary. The audience began to murmur quietly, and one body slipped out of the crowd, heading for the doors. 

Stepping outside, Pan felt as light and free as she had never felt before. The air was freezing on her bare arms, but she felt intoxicating warm in the inside. She was just about to make a beeline towards the café, when she heard someone walk up behind her. Fearing it was Zachary, she slowly turned to face the man behind her. 

"You." Pan said, startled to see the unnamed author from before. 

"Yes, me." He said with a smile. He walked up to her, and turned his head towards the stars. "Beautiful aren't they?" He said, raising an arm and sweeping it across the sky, motioning it towards the heavens. 

"Yes, they are." Pan admitted. 

"I had the impression that all young people were full of mistakes, and that it would lead to the downfall of our race eventually..." He said quietly. This statement caught Pan as odd, so she reared her attention away from the stars and towards the man. "But you changed my belief in that." She raised an eyebrow, eagerly waiting to see what he would add. He finally turned his gaze from the night sky and let his deep dark eyes land on Pan. "You proved that not all young people are mindless twits and that some of them not only think for themselves but also make the right decisions." Pan smiled gratefully at the man, but he returned it with a frown. "What are you waiting for? Go get your president." Pan grinned, made a slight bow, and turned back to the street to dash away - but stopped. She slowly turned back around and stared at the man. Taking a few short steps back towards him, she paused and whispered; 

"Thank you..." Before flinging herself into his arms, giving him a hug. "I may very well owe my life's happiness to you - and I don't even know your name." 

"Names have no meaning. Now - go!" He cried, giving her a small push towards the street. Pan giggled, a huge smile on her face and ran. 

***

"She's gone." Trunks repeated to himself for the millionth time since she had left. Those two worlds seemed to bring armageddon to his life. He should have stopped her. He should have run after her; done anything, but he hadn't. He had let her slip through his fingers. His hands were one of the strongest pairs in the universe, yet he couldn't hold onto the thing that meant the most to him; Pan. 

He sat slummed over at the counter, his upper body almost completely flat on the table top. The café was silent; only five minutes until official closing time. The kitchen was dark, all the ovens and stoves had been shut down for the day. The table tops had all been wiped down, the mugs washed and put away. The leftovers already packed up and taken by a charity company. The only sound heard was the CEO of Capsule Corporation muttering about his girl and the gently hum of the furnace; keeping the place warm. Aside from this, the café had a gently, peaceful quiet to it that was comforting to a person; unfortunately it made Trunks feel even worse. 

The silence was shattered abruptly as the familiar jingle of the door's bells echoed through the café. The ringing died out, and the door slammed closed. Trunks didn't bother to look at the newcomer, he heard it walk towards him, gathering it was female from the soft 'click-clack' the shoes made on the polished wood floor. He brought his arms closer to his face that was buried with in them, hoping that the person would get a hint to leave him alone. He didn't hear her move away, so he assumed that she didn't understand. 

"I'm sorry we're closing up." Trunks mumbled from the safely of his arms, his voice slightly muffled by his shirt's sleeves. He heard a soft thud in front of him, and from working all day in a coffee shop, was able to tell it was the sound of glass being placed on the counter. He slowly lifted his head from his arms, and looked at the object placed before him, expecting to see a misplaced coffee mug. What he saw, made him lift his head fully away from his arms, and stare at it intently. 

Sitting on the all-familiar-rock was the angel. Her wings spread to her side, making room for another body to sit beside her. A man. He too had wings, and his arms were wrapped around her waist, each of their gazes directed right to each other. 'Dare to Love'. 

Trunks glanced up to see the owner of the figurine. It was Pan. He shot straight up, and looked at her carefully to make sure it really was her. Her raven hair was slightly damp, due to the dribble that had started outside, but it only made her more the beautiful. 

"Pan...?" Trunks asked cautiously, not really sure if it was her or not. A small smile was playing on her lips, and she held her hands in front of her, gripping the cloth of her dress in nervousness. 

"I would like forgiveness - all that you have in stock, one sayian CEO, and a small kiss would be nice... and since you're closing up - I'll take it to go." Pan said, quietly, keeping her smile and letting her gaze fall into Trunks' stare. Trunks blinked, letting what she said sink in. When it finally had a wide smile burst onto his face. He brought his hands up to the counter, and pushed himself over it with ease, landing directly in front of Pan. 

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you already have all the forgiveness we have, that sayian CEO was and always will be yours... and we don't give out small kisses." He murmured, snaking his arms around her thin waist and pulling her close to his own body. Gently, he tilted her head up, and brought his lips to her with confidence and love. 

He kissed her forever. All of the pain they had gone through, all of the uncertainties, the trials, the mistakes, and the battles both lost and won were forgotten with that one kiss. Their old tainted, shattered wings were replaced with new ones which they would use to sore to the newest heights that they imagined. 

"Besides..." He finally murmured, breaking apart from her, "none of that can be 'to go'... only 'to stay'." He said, smiling tenderly, and looking into Pan's tearful eyes. 

"Forever? Promise?" 

"Yeah." 

And outside - it stopped raining.

***

Epilogue

"No honey - please, ahh! Stop, ugh, let go!" Goten cried, desperately attempting to de-tangle his daughter's hand from his hair. She merely giggled, and pulled harder. "Sweetie - ow, can't you be good - eie! - even on your birthday?!" Goten continued to whimper, whine, and use futile attempts to get his daughter away from his hair, until Marron walked over to them. 

"You are hopeless, Goten." She said with a laugh. Bending down she took the girl's arm in her hand and said, "leave daddy's hair alone. No touch." The girl giggled and immediately let go, while Marron gathered the one-year infant in her arms and brought her over to the girls. 

The café was filled with family and friends gathered for the baby's birthday. It had been an entire year since Marron had been flown to the hospital, leaving Trunks and Pan in charge of the restaurant. 

"Goten you really have gotten weak. Can't even defend yourself from a baby." Trunks said, walking up to his best friend and taking a seat beside him. 

"Shut up. We'll see how 'strong' you are when you become a father." Goten said with a sly grin. Simultaneously, both Goten's and Trunks' eyes found their way over to Pan. She was letting her hair grow back out, and was now past her shoulders. She still adored the colours black and red, and that was about all she owned, although she, on occasion, wore other colours. Today was one of those occasions, as she had a white turtle neck on with black slacks. 

"Perhaps we will." Trunks commented, with a small grin. 

"Um hmm. We'll see how well you can play it off when she comes to you in tears that she's 'too fat'." Goten said, grinning. 

"Pan's not fat."

"Not yet. That's because she's only a few months. Just wait. You'll see. No more of those tight nighties you buy for her, uh uh. And if you thought them woman were bed hogs before, just wait - once that baby grows there'll be no room what so ever for you." 

"Really?" Trunks asked, somewhat nervous. 

"Oh ya!" Goten said, fully enjoying himself. "And once it's born, no sleep, no free time, just feed the baby!" He said, taking pleasure in seeing Trunks squirm. "Well, that'll come in due time. Just dread one thing at a time. I guess morning sickness will come next for you, eh?" 

"Too late. Pan was up all last night emptying her stomach's contents in the washroom." He turned to Goten with a quirky grin. "I didn't get much sleep." 

"You know what? I think it's all a big act. You know, the sickness, the cravings, mood-swings... it's all some huge female conspiracy to get their husbands to do what they want them to do." Goten said, being careful to keep his voice low to avoid the ears of the girls. 

"Goten... you're an idiot." Trunks said simply. The door bells jingled, and many turned their heads to see who had arrived. Pan quickly put down her glass of juice and ran to the door. 

"Zach!" She cried, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you came!" She said. 

"Heh heh, me too, but, gosh... Panny, let go." Zach cried, losing his air supply. 

"Whoops, sorry." She said with a laugh. 

"Pan..." Pan turned her head to see Bra walking towards her. 

"Oh hey! Uh, Zach this is my friend Bra, Bra this is Zach." Pan said, introducing them. Bra seemed to stare at him for a minute, then she gasped. 

"You're editor?!" She shrieked. Zach and Pan nodded, and she just stared. "You gave this guy up for my ugly brother?!" Pan giggled, and turned to Zach. 

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay. The baby takes a lot out of me, I have to go to bed earlier than I would like. But, I'm sure Bra here can make sure you have a good time. Eh, Bra?"

"Sure thing." She said with a genuine grin. Pan smiled and walked over to Marron. 

"I have to go. I'll see you later." She said, while placing her finger in front of the child for her to grab. Marron nodded and hugged Pan; giving her thanks for coming. When she got to where her uncle was, Trunks had left to grab their jackets, leaving him alone. "I have to go." She said simply. 

"Yeah, I know. Thanks for coming Panny." He stood up and gave his neice a hug. He gently laid a hand on her stomach. "You know you make me feel really old." 

"You are old." She said with a grin, and he lightly kissed her forehead. Trunks came back with his coat on, and hers in his hand. He helped her get into it, before shouting 'good-bye's' to everyone. Trunks held the door open for his wife, and him and Pan walked over to their sport's car. Pan slid into the passenger's side while Trunks took the lead. 

"It's great seeing everyone together again." Trunks said, starting the engine up. Pan tugged on her seatbelt and fastened it securely. 

"Um hmm. Did you see your sister and Zach? They really hit it off." Pan said with a grin. Trunks shrugged, concentrating on the road. 

"I guess so." Trunks didn't have anything against Zach. That's not to say he didn't at some point, because he did. Even after they were married, Trunks refused to be home if Zach came over to help Pan with her novel. It still hurt him that he nearly lost his Pan to that guy, but he got used to it. Pan was his now, and Zach wouldn't be taking her away. Pan had wanted to invite him to their wedding but he had openly refused. He sort of regretted that now, seeing as Pan and Zach were good friends and she hadn't turned down any of his friends on the invitation list. Pan hadn't been too sour about it, and he doubted she ever really thought about it. Trunks took a second to take his eyes off the road and look at his wife beside him. She was leaning on the door; fast asleep. Trunks didn't bother to hide his smile, but he did wish he wasn't driving at the moment. He loved to watch Pan sleep. It was like an obsession almost. She looked so peaceful and happy - and he just really enjoyed watching her. One of the best part of the day was to curl up with Pan after a long day at the office, and watch her sleep on his shoulder. It was the most relaxing thing for him. 

He pulled into their driveway, and as quiet as he could, he climbed out of the car and walked around to her door. Careful to keep Pan from falling out, he opened the door, and unfastened her seatbuckle. He reached in and easily lifted her sleeping form from the car seat, and kicked the door closed with his foot. He was able to hold Pan with one hand while using the other to unlock their large victorian house, and still keep his wife in peaceful sleep. 

Carrying her over to their bed, Trunks gently laid her down, and turned on the lamp so he could see what he was doing. He tugged on her shoes, and then her socks. Her pants were the next thing to go, but he wasn't careful enough because Pan woke up while he was taking them off. 

"What are you doing?" She asked sleepily. "I'm too tired." She mumbled. Trunks chuckled and sat down on the bed. He began to untie his own shoes before turning to answer his half-awake wife. 

"I know you're tired. I was just getting you dressed for bed." Trunks explained. He kicked his socks off, and then unbuttoned his dress shirt, tossing it beside him. "Here, let me get that..." He spoke quietly, leaning over to Pan and taking the ends of her shirt in his hands. He carefully lifted it over her head leaving her only in underwear and her bra. "I'll get you your pajamas, okay?" Her shirtless husband turned and walked off towards their closet to find something for her. Pan looked behind her at the huge mound of pillows which looked extremely inviting to her tired body. She glanced towards the direction where Trunks had gone, but saw no indication that he would be showing up anytime soon. Shrugging, she reached behind her back and undid her bra clasp, tossing the lingerie to the ground. She reached over for Trunks' dress shirt and pulled it over to her lap, slid her slender arms into the sleeves and fastened a few buttons. Satisfied, she collapsed onto the pillows, and slowed her breathing to relax her body. 

Pan rested her hand on her stomach, where at that moment, a new life was being grown. The child would be the final outcome of a hard fought war its parents raged against one another and the world. It was the resolution to their pains, and the beginning of their happiness. Pan didn't care what new trials came their way - this time they could face them together as a team. 

Trunks walked back in the room with some plaid pants and shirt for Pan, and walked over to the bed until he stopped short after he stepped on something. Trunks lifted his foot and looked down, pulling up a white-lace bra, he looked at Pan with a raised eyebrow. Holding back a chuckle at the sight of his wife in his large dress shirt with the buttons placed in the wrong holes, he set the bra and unneeded pajamas on a chair. Sliding off his pants, leaving him only in boxers, he shook Pan lightly on the shoulder. 

"You have to sit up so I can pull back the covers." He ordered softly. Pan complied seeing as she wasn't asleep yet, for if she was Trunks would have met with a foot in his face. Pan was a light sleeper, so when she wanted sleep, she wanted sleep! Anyone who disturbed her before her desired amount of hours were spent, had hell to face. Trunks shoved the pillows aside, and yanked the covers back, then replaced the pillows. Pan had a thing for pillows. She loved lots on the bed, despite the fact that she almost always used Trunks' shoulder or chest for her head's resting spot - not that Trunks minded of coarse. Pan wiggled under the sheets and comforter, but instead of lying down, she sat up in bed, leaning against the head board. Trunks crawled across the bed to his side and snuggled in beside his wife. Pan reached over to her night stand drawer, and opened it to take out her newest manuscript. 

"I thought you were tired." Trunks commented, seeing Pan grab a ball point pen in her hand as well. After they had gotten married, Pan found less and less time to write since she enjoyed her time with Trunks, normally she would just write a page or two at night. 

"Yeah, well, I'm just finishing this up." She explained, turning to the beginning of the clipped papers where she always left a blank page to do the dedication at the end. She pulled the lid off her blue pen, and immediately inscribed the message before gently placing it back in the drawer. "See, that didn't take long." Pan murmured, sliding down so she was lying down, and moving her position so that she could rest against Trunks. "Now I'm all done." She said with a smile. 

"Good job, Panny." Trunks whispered, kissing her forehead lightly. He wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her close up to him. "Good night, love." Trunks added. 

"Night. I love you too." Pan murmured before both slipped into the dream world of happiness to match that of their reality. The couple were entangled in each others arms, keeping warm by each other, and beside them in Pan's drawer lay her finished, unpublished novel with a dedication from her heart; 

Dedicated to my husband Trunks; 

who is the beginning and the end of the novel that is my life, 

and the love that we share fills the content of the remaining chapters.

  
  
  
  


The End

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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